Town and Country
by entre-lagrimas-y-suspiros
Summary: Miranda/Andy Femmeslash. Miranda is going through yet another divorce and Andy has to deal with the mess and Miranda. R&R. Please.
1. Chapter 1

I.

Andy hung up the phone and stood grabbing her notepad and cell as she moved to the door. "I'll be right back Charlotte." She stopped long enough to see Charlotte nod and smile at her. Andy smiled back and headed out of the double glass doors of Miranda's office and in the general direction of the reception area.

She walked with the confidence that only three years of working for, and surviving, Miranda could give someone. Her strides were purposeful and long, she was walking at what she called Miranda speed. She did almost everything now at Miranda speed anything else would have gotten her fired a long time ago. According to Nigel she just didn't move at Miranda speed but now looked, spoke, and acted just like her. He said it was the mini-me syndrome. Andy had laughed with Nigel, since he had said it because of her new very short hair cut, but she had taken the comment to heart.

Two years ago, hell maybe even a year ago, Andy wouldn't have liked to be described as Miranda's mini-me but now she took it as a compliment. Being Miranda's mini-me meant she was tough enough to cut it in the fashion industry. It meant she was damn good at her job. It was something she knew no other assistant had done before, be it a first or second assistant. An assistant lasting for three years was also something no one else had done. Andy was the first, the only. She was the new standard that everyone, not just the assistants, was measured against. It felt really fucking good.

Today however…today she would have loved it if she had been fired at some point in her tenure. Today Miranda was going to be impossible to handle. Today was so scary that Andy didn't actually know how Miranda was going to react…well better said she didn't know how crazy she was going to get but she knew it would definitely get crazy.

"Hi, Ilene." Andy said to the receptionist as she moved to a very well dressed very handsome man waiting impatiently.

"Mr. Ashford?" Andy said extending her hand. He nodded and shook hands. "I'm Andrea Sachs." Andy wondered when she had decided to stop introducing herself as Andy and became Andrea. She wasn't sure but it must have been more than a year at least. "I'm Miranda's assistant. I believe you have documents to deliver." Andy held out her hand again.

"Yes I do." He said but didn't hand over the folder. "However, I am under strict instructions to deliver them to Mrs. Priestley herself."

Andy stood up straighter. "I'm sorry but that is going to be impossible."

"I must insist Miss Sachs." It was then that Andy decided Mr. Ashford was as much of an asshole as his client.

"Right, follow me." She walked the corridors at an even quicker pace as before.

When they reached the outer office she turned and was glad to see Mr. Ashford seemed flustered. "I'll just let her know you're here."

She walked into Miranda's office and stopped just in front of her desk. She didn't wait to be acknowledged, that would have been hopeless and a complete waste of time. "Mr. Ashford is here to see you Miranda."

One minute. Two minutes.

"Whom?" Miranda asked without looking up at her.

Andy wanted to roll her eyes but didn't. That was one impulse she had mastered in her early days at _Runway_. Thank god too because if Andy was ever going to roll her eyes at her boss it was in that very moment. Seriously she just could not believe her sometimes. Miranda knew damn well who Ashford was. She knew! "Bailey's lawyer."

One minute. Two minutes. Three minutes. Come on Miranda. Bailey. Bailey Devereux, your soon to be ex-husband!

Four minutes. Oh come on. For the love of god!

"Send him in." Thank you.

"Yes Miranda."

She turned on her heels and saw that Mr. Ashford actually look unnerved. She barely stopped herself from smiling.

"Mr. Ashford she is waiting for you." She said and was sure her amusement showed because Charlotte looked up with curiosity written plainly on her face.

"Andrea, close the door." Andy did and let herself smile. Ashford was locked in the lion's den now.

Good he deserved it. He and Bailey the asshole definitely deserved it.

"What's going on?" Charlotte asked bringing her back to the real world. She didn't have to worry about punishing either Ashford or Bailey Miranda knew how to take care of herself. She would know just how to make them regret their little stunt.

"Not much." Andy said she wasn't about to let anyone into this little piece of Shakespearean drama. Nope. No way. If she did then Lady Macbeth might decide it was a good idea to turn her special brand of torture on her. Anyway everyone in New York knew Miranda was going through yet another divorce.

"Is it Mr. Devereux?"

Like she said everyone knew about divorce number three but no one knew just how bad everything had gotten. "What else."

She heard Charlotte exhaled in what Andy guessed was exasperation. Whenever Bailey had come into the picture over the last year their lives had turned to hell. Though the hell she had gone through for the last year was, Andy had to admit, of her own making. Who told her to fall for the boss? Her very unavailable, strictly off limits, and straight as a rod boss. "Yeah." She said then sat behind her desk.

She tried to concentrate on her computer screen but it just wasn't happening. The little tête-à-tête was taking way too long. Not that Ashford didn't deserve to be locked in a room with Miranda but it was weird. Usually her boss dealt out torture at machine gun speeds. So it was weird. But then she guessed when someone screwed you over like Bailey had done to Miranda then machine gun speed was too fast. Not enough satisfaction in it. And since Miranda couldn't get at Bailey for this then she might as well kill the messenger. She sure as hell would in Miranda's shoes. She wanted to do it right now and it had nothing to with her. Nothing at all.

Yeah right! Everything in Miranda's life had become her business, not because it was part of the job description but because Andy seemed to have become a masochist.

When Ashford finally came out of Miranda's office he was still clutching the folder. Andy immediately stood up and rounded her desk offering to take the folder from him. Ashford gave her a level look then handed it over. Andy smiled at him. Where was the cocky guy from twenty minutes ago? "I'll you show out." Andy said and turned for the door.

"Andrea."

Andy stopped smiled at Ashford again and turned to Charlotte. "Charlotte could you show Mr. Ashford out please?" It didn't come out as a request because it wasn't and Charlotte got up in hurry.

"Of course. Mr. Ashford." Charlotte said and led the way out the glass doors.

Andy didn't watch them go instead she walked into Miranda's office. "Yes Miranda?"

Miranda looked up and extended her hand. Andy immediately handed the folder over. Its not like she wanted to deal with anything officially concerning the divorce.

"Call the car. Go to the townhouse and pack a bag."

Huh? Where was Miranda going? She wasn't supposed to be going anywhere. She had a full schedule that she could not just throw out the window! A schedule that _she _not Miranda had spent most of Sunday trying to perfect!

She stood there for a heartbeat too long and Miranda looked at her. She saw the anything but nice comment a mile away. "Right." She said before Miranda could snap at her and left.

Andy grabbed her coat and bag. She headed out the door, down the corridors, into the elevator, down too many floors, out the lobby, and got into the car. Now she really had no idea what the day was going to turn into. She was out in the dark. Fuck Ashford and Bailey! If Miranda didn't kill them then Andy would. And then she would kill Miranda and not at machine gun speeds.


	2. Chapter 2

II.

Apparently Roy sensed that it was turning in a crisis day because he made it to Miranda's townhouse in record time.

"I wont take long." She said and headed up the front steps. Just as she was turning the key her cell phone went off. This times she didn't contain herself and rolled her eyes.

She picked it up. "Hello, Miranda."

"Andrea, pick up my car." Oh no! No, no please. Not again. "I want it here in an hour tops."

"Miranda its rush hour. I don't think I…"

"One hour." Miranda cut in and then promptly hung up on her.

How was she supposed to pack a bag and get back to the office in rush hour in New York City? How! She could just scream. Actually she would as soon as she got inside she would scream her head off.

For the moment though she turned around. "Roy she wants me to take the Benz back."

"Ok be careful." Andy smiled at him and watched the car pull away then remembered she was on an extremely tight schedule.

She headed inside the house and up the stairs to Miranda's room and totally forgot about screaming her head off.

She'd only been in Miranda's room once before during what Miranda had actually called a crisis, a level ten red alert that she would have given her right lung not to have experience.

She walked into closet. "Seriously who needs this much stuff?" It felt good to criticize her boss but she need if there was one person in the world who did need that much stuff it was Miranda. "Ok Andrea, get to it."

She grabbed Miranda's Louis Vuitton Kepall bag and put it on the bed and took on the daunting task of picking out what Miranda would need or want to wear. The fact that she didn't know where Miranda was going or for how long didn't make the task any easier. But since she hadn't said anything about booking a flight she guessed it wasn't anywhere too far so that helped. Wherever Miranda was going it would still be chilly given it was mid- October.

Fifteen minutes later she had the basics packed well maybe the basics but not the essentials. Andy opened Miranda's underwear drawer, ha yeah right not underwear at all it was lingerie, and stared at its contents. She picked up a lacy number that couldn't possibly cover anything and swallowed as she imagined Miranda in them. Was it just her or had the heat been on for too long and too high?

She dropped the little number, and after a few minutes and a couple more heatstroke's she had Miranda's bag ready. Good. Now all she had to do was get into Miranda's one hundred thousand dollar Mercedes-Benz and drive half way across town during rush hour and do it in less than half an hour. Oh yeah no biggie.

Andy sighed as she got into the car, at least Miranda hadn't asked for the McLaren Roaster. God help her. If she was lucky she would never get into that car again.

It had only been a few minutes since she had pulled into traffic when her cell phone went off yet again. "Hello Miranda."

"Where are you?" Miranda sounded exasperated.

"I'm on my way back."

"Did you get the bag?"

Da! "Yes I have your bag right here." There was nothing but silence yet the line was still connected. Shit. Not good. "Miranda?"

"Your bag. Do you have your bag?"

"Umm, Miranda you didn't tell me…"

"Of course I did. And Andrea hurry up."

"Ok." Andy said but Miranda had already hung up. "Of course Miranda, I can go to the moon and back in ten minutes no problem. You want me to pick up your steak on the way? Of course." If it wasn't because she was head over heels about Miranda she would have killed her a long time ago. Yup, a nice long and very slow death.

XXXXXX

Somehow Andy had been able to make it to her apartment in fifteen minutes. She had packed, if throwing clothes into a bag over ones head was considered packing, and had made it back to the car in another five minutes. That meant of course that she had only twenty minutes to make it to Elias-Clark.

Her faith in some divine being actually existing and caring about what happened to her was more than reaffirmed when she pulled up to Elias-Clark with two minutes to spear. She dug out her cell phone from her purse and dialed.

One ring. Two rings. "Yes?"

"Miranda I'm just got here. I'll bring your bag up."

"No. Stay there. I'm coming down." The line went dead.

Andy was so used to Miranda hanging up that she didn't even noticed it she just got out of the car and walked around leaning against the passenger door and waited for Miranda. It didn't take long before Miranda was walking towards her at full speed, her sunglass firmly in place and looking amazingly confident if completely bitchy. She stopped right in front of Andy making her hold her breath unsure of what her boss would do. An unpredictable Miranda equaled the day from hell.

Miranda tossed her purse at her and then extended her hand. Andy stared at her. "Keys." Miranda said her tone only about one degree above freezing. Andy handed them over. "Get in."

Andy did and watched Miranda do the same. She had never been in a car while Miranda drove. In fact until that moment Andy had always wondered why the hell Miranda even had a car of her when she was always being driven around in the Runway town car. "So where are we going?"

"Put on your seat belt." Miranda said without looking at her and completely ignoring the question.

Andy did as she was told and Miranda pulled into traffic. Destination? Unknown. Andy's stomach began to collapse on itself, this was worst than what she had expected.


	3. Chapter 3

III.

Several hours later Andy found herself trying to shift in her seat without attracting Miranda's attention. It was harder than one might think. But trying to sit without moving, without breathing too loudly incase it rubbed her boss the wrong way, was truly uncomfortable. No matter how expensive the car was, no matter how many tricks the seat could do, like a heating and cooling system, sitting for more than four hours straight just was not comfortable.

She was distracted from her task by Miranda driving the car off the expressway and into the closets gas station. It wasn't the safest thing to do, Andy decided, to stop at a gas station in the middle of god only knew where at night. Miranda should have stop for gas before the sun had set. That had happened sometime when they were crossing from the great state of Massachusetts into New Hampshire. Where they were going was still an unanswered question, one that Andy doubt she would get an answer to, but she hoped they were close because she didn't think she could stand to drive all night next to an incredibly mute Miranda as her only company.

She watched as Miranda took off her seat belt and got out of the car, so she didn't expect Andy to doing the pumping then. Well that was a nice surprise. Andy's mind began to drift off writing an imaginary list of things Miranda actually did for herself that would give anyone at Runway a heart attack.

So Miranda's voice made her jump. "Andrea get me coffee."

Andy looked at from Miranda to the lonely and shabby looking building she would have to go to. Did Miranda actually expect her to walk all the way to the store by herself? Of course she did. But did she actually want coffee from the place. "Miranda they probably don't have Starbucks."

She saw Miranda roll her eyes and move to the pump. Well she guessed there wouldn't be an answer to that either. "Ok then I'll be right back." She said it to say something because she would have felt pretty stupid otherwise.

She started her longish walk to the store and tried not to look back at Miranda doing something so un-Miranda. She grabbed the coffee as fast as she could and walked back out of the store fearing Miranda had thought better of bringing her along for this little torture trip and would leave her behind. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Miranda had yet to finish pumping and walked to the car. This time she took her time and observed her boss. If Andy had not known who Miranda was she would have thought it was the most normal thing in the world. Miranda certainly acted like she had done it a million times. Maybe Andy decided she still didn't know Miranda at all even after three years.

She smiled at her boss when she looked up and got in the car, holding the coffee until Miranda got in. She saw Miranda sip the dark liquid as if it was Starbucks. It was official she didn't known her at all. Well since it seemed to be raining miracles Andy tired her hand at her most pressing question. "So Miranda what are we doing in New Hampshire?"

To her surprise Miranda turned to her and smiled. "Escaping." Andy must have looked the picture of confusion because Miranda explained. "I needed to leave New York for a bit. I need to think about what I'm going to do. I need to breath some fresh air."

"So where going to…?"

"Silver lake." Miranda said and drove out of the gas station.

Andy didn't know if she was allowed to keep talking now that they were back on the road but she was going to try because she was bored and curious but mostly bored. Miranda hadn't even turned on the radio during the last four hours so she doubted that she would now. "So we're going to the cabin?"

The said cabin was somewhere Miranda had only gone twice as far as Andy knew in the last three years. And both times plane tickets had been involved and the twins had accompanied their mother.

"Yes. The perfect place for fresh air." Andy nodded. She wasn't about to tell Miranda that they could have gotten fresh air an hour outside of Manhattan instead of driving to New Hampshire. Nope she wasn't that crazy. "Andrea make sure Charlotte put the girls on the train to their grandmother's. And tell her she is not to disturb either of us with silly phone calls."

Andy nodded. She had totally forgotten about the girls and was glad Miranda had thought enough about what she was doing to give Charlotte instructions. She took out her cell and did as Miranda asked.


	4. Chapter 4

IV.

By the time they got to the cabin it was well past ten o'clock. Andy was dead tired. She would have never thought that a road trip could tire her in such a way. She was ready to get out of the car and make a run for the cabin, kick of her shoes, drop down on the floor and pass out. Miranda would just have to deal with it.

Of course she did no such thing. She waited for Miranda to get out of the car first then followed.

"Andrea, get the bags." Andy hadn't heard Miranda's voice since she had told her to call Charlotte. It sounded hoarse, probably from lack of use. Andy wanted to slap herself, she was not supposed to notice such things about her extremely unavailable boss who like Christian once told her was a sadist who would not look kindly on her growing feeling for her in fact Andy was almost certain Miranda would dismiss it as a stupid infatuation. She sighed and did as she was told. Of course Miranda moved to the door and left her to struggle with both bags, with temperature in the low fifties in an incredible short dress, and four-inch heels.

Somehow Andy managed to get up the front steps of the cabin and through the door. Miranda wasn't in the main room but Andy could hear her high heels clacking against the wood. She put the bags down by the door and looked around at what would be her knew home away from home for she didn't know how long. She hoped it wasn't more than five days because she had only back for five and no matter how much she felt for Miranda she drew the line at doing the woman's laundry. She could do her shopping and pick her dry cleaning but she was not doing her laundry.

She moved around noticing how modest the cabin was considering whom it belonged to. The living room was tiny but had a nice fireplace, beautiful sofa, and an ultra-modern tv. Just behind it, against the wall, were the stove, refrigerator and a wall of cabinets. There was a door next to the entrance that Andy guessed was a bedroom and right next to that stairs ending at another door Andy was sure had to be a bedroom.

She saw Miranda appeared from the kitchen, she guessed there was another door there, and look right at her. Andy felt the need to fill the silence again. "This is nice, cozy."

Miranda nodded. "The girls wanted something as close to camping as possible."

Andy smiled instead of laughing because Miranda would probably kill her if she did. She wouldn't consider this camping but then again the girls were Miranda's kids. She guessed if she had the money this would be the type of tent she would want.

"So do I get a the grand tour?"

Andy saw Miranda roll her eyes, and laughed silently, she loved it when Miranda did that. It wasn't too horrible she wasn't saying she was stupid or anything, Andy had learned that it was more like Miranda's way of saying she was being silly and that such silliness amused Miranda. Andy would have preferred cute but she would settle for silly. As long as Miranda was happy anything was good.

"Well that," Miranda point at the door next to the entrance, "is my room. Upstairs is the girls room, and the door here," she pointed towards a door Andy couldn't see from where she stood, "is the main bathroom."

"Right." Andy said nodding at the new information. "So I should?" Andy asked pointing upstairs.

Miranda shook her head. "The girls don't like their room to be disturbed."

Andy nodded again and raised an eyebrow in question. "So I…" She didn't know how to finish that because she knew she sure as hell wasn't sleeping in Miranda room. Ha! She wished!

Miranda fidgeted a bit. "The sofa is a pullout."

"Ok." She said and looked at Miranda who for some reason actually looked nervous. "Miranda about this morning…if you want to talk or anything…" She saw Miranda's entire body stiffen at the suggestion.

"Goodnight, Andrea."

Right what the hell had she been thinking? "Goodnight."

She watched Miranda pick up her bag and disappear into her bedroom. Andy sat down on the sofa. Miranda didn't want to talk, and it looked like she didn't want her company either. Andy really couldn't figure out what the hell she was doing there.

XXXXXX

Andy had tired to sleep but it was proving to be an unattainable goal. It wasn't that she wasn't used to sleeping alone on the contrary she hadn't slept with anyone beside her for more than two years. She hadn't been in a relationship of that level since Nate and for the last year she hadn't been a relationship of any kind unless drooling over Miranda while the other woman remain oblivious counted. But none of that was bothering her it was instead that she didn't feel comfortable enough to turn on the t.v.

She had never dealt with silence very well or better put she had never dealt with loneliness very well, so Andy had gotten used to having the television fill her apartment at night, the hum and chatter luring her to sleep. But she wasn't in her apartment or Lily's or Dough's or Nigel's, she was in the unfamiliar territory of Miranda's private life. And Andy knew her boss would not look kindly on the intrusion.

So Andy could only fidget and pulled the covers closer to her body, all the while trying to make sure the sofa-bed didn't squeak, Miranda was no more than ten feet away after all and the only thing that divided then was the door, while she stared at the ceiling.

Her attempt to memorize the grain of every plank of wood was interrupted by what sound like a half-choked sob. Andy instantly closed her eyes trying to focus better on the sound. There it was again, louder, less restraint. It was an agonizing sound of vulnerability and it was coming from Miranda.

Andy opened her eyes and rolled cross the bed to be closer to Miranda's door, closer to the sound. Her ears ready and willing to witness Miranda's pain, her one moment of weakness.

The sofa bed squeaked too loud against the silence, and a heart-felt sob froze half way freezing Andy's movements. She waited half-expectant and a shit load scared.

She heard Miranda's feet hit the wooden floor and make their way across it. The bedroom door opened and light filtered through. The sound moved closer.

She closed her eyes firmly feigning sleep, maybe just maybe she would be able to fool Miranda into thinking she had moved in her sleep.

Andy felt the mattress shift and squeak under a new weight.

"I know your awake Andrea."

Andy dutifully opened her eyes and saw Miranda laying beside her, her back resting against the pillows, her eyes blotchy and red and still filled with tears. "I'm sorry." She apologized for being awake to witness Miranda's crying, for the stupidity of her ex-husband, for everything that was wrong in Miranda's life. She apologized because she wasn't able to do much else than be sympathetic.

Miranda made no response so Andy jumped into the deep end before thinking better of it. "Bailey is an asshole." She had been thinking all day, all week, all year, and it felt good to finally say it to the person that needed to hear it.

"I agree," Miranda said and slid under the covers "but I don't want to talk about him."

"Ok." Andy said meekly. Too freaked out about why Miranda was now under the covers to say much else.

"Why can't you sleep?"

Andy shrugged but Miranda was looking at her sternly so she relented. "I usually fall asleep with the t.v."

"Why didn't you turn it on?"

Miranda's eyes had the disturbing ability to dissect her from day one and it hadn't changed over the last three years. "I didn't want to disturb you."

Miranda simply rolled her eyes and reached for the remote. "What would you like to watch?"

"Doesn't matter." Andy said because really it didn't matter when Miranda had…well snuggled into her body.

"CNN then." Andy nodded and tried not to read too much into Miranda's bizarre behavior. It was just part of the craziness of the day, at least that's what she tried to tell herself.


	5. Chapter 5

V.

Andy woke slowly to the strangest feeling. There was something heavy, smooth, and breathing on her arm. _What the fuck!_ Her eyes snapped opened and she saw mess of white short hair. Miranda Andy realized and relaxed a bit. The television had done its job then. Good because they both had needed the rest.

Andy groaned as she tried to extract her arm, which was asleep, from under Miranda's head without waking the woman. It didn't work. Miranda's eyes opened immediately filled with the same anxiety Andy had felt a moment before and then just like Andy she relaxed.

"Morning, Andrea." Miranda said as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes.

"Morning." Andy pushed the covers away. It was better to get up immediately being in bed with Miranda, waking up with her was strange and great, and giving her horribly romantic ideas. "I'll shower first if you don't mind."

"Go ahead." Miranda said and then snuggled back into the pillows. Oh wow. Andy moved to get her things fast and headed for the bathroom. If Miranda acted any cuter and well normal she wouldn't be held responsible for her actions.

Andy showered under scalding hot water and was successful at getting her mind away from anything Miranda related. She decided to call Charlotte to make sure everything was going smoothly and then Nigel to ask for some kind of guidance.

When Andy opened the bathroom door she almost ran into Miranda. Miranda who was no longer in her Mayfair pajamas but wrapped in a towel, a very large towel Andy had to admit but a towel nonetheless. She moved quickly to allow Miranda entrance and sighed when the door closed. She had burnt her skin off for nothing. Miranda was once again foremost in her mind and now clad in nothing but a towel.

Great!

Andy couldn't stop think about Miranda naked under the shower, her body slick and warm, as she put away the sofa bed and her dirty clothes. No matter how often she told herself that it was most definitely _not _the time her libido ignored her, the result of which was that by time Miranda exited her bedroom all composed and looking lovely Andy was a mess of nerves and flushed cheeks.

"I don't suppose there is anything edible in the refrigerator?"

"I haven't checked." Andy moved to it and checked. Not a thing. "No."

"Right," Miranda said and grabbed her coat and bag. "Are you coming Andrea?" Miranda called from the porch and Andy realized she had been staring for too long.

"Yep." She said, grabbing her coat on the way out.

XXXXXX

They had breakfast at the local café and it was surprisingly nice. The place had been remarkably empty for a Saturday morning but then again she guessed it wasn't really the season when patrons filled the cute streets of Silver Lake. It was better that way Andy decided since it wouldn't due for anyone to recognize Miranda at the moment, she doubted that Miranda would be civil if anyone did. They had eaten in relative silence though to Andy's astonishment it hadn't been at all uncomfortable.

Afterwards she had followed Miranda around as she made her way through the local grocery store with all the confidence and regal air she usually had yet managing to not seem out of place. It was the most amazing magic act Andy had witnessed in her life.

When they returned to the cabin Andy had put the groceries away while Miranda check her emails. Andy hadn't seen a computer anywhere but then she hadn't been in Miranda's room yet. She finished faster that she thought then sat on the sofa with nothing to do but twiddle her thumbs. She still didn't know what the hell she was doing there. There was no legitimate Runway related reason why she would need to be there. If Miranda had needed anything then she could just have phone the office, Andy didn't need to be there. What the hell!

The lady in question interrupted her thought process by saying something Andy didn't catch. "Sorry?"

Andy hadn't really expected a biting remark given the morning they had been having, and night, but Miranda totally threw her a curve ball when she asked, "Are you feeling alright, Andrea?" It wasn't the words, which were completely neutral, it was the tone; Miranda's voice had taken that slightly soft, honeyed, tone Andy had only ever heard her use with the twins.

"Yes."

Miranda studied her another unbearable minute as if searching for something. Andy couldn't decide if she had found it or not but then it was gone. "I asked if you would like to accompany me on a walk?"

It was then that it hit her square in the chest… Miranda was lonely. Miranda who never needed anyone except to bark frantic orders at them had brought her along because she was looking for what…comfort? Friendship? What?

Andy tried to control her pounding heart the last thing she needed was to alert Miranda that something was amiss. Anyway what if she was wrong? She would look like an idiot and Miranda would probably fire her. Then her three years of hard work would mean nothing.

"Umm…yeah…sure." She grabbed her coat and held the door open for Miranda, who paused to study her face once more before stepping onto the porch. Dear God!


	6. Chapter 6

VI.

They walked along the narrow country road that led from the cabin to the lake in almost complete silence. Andy had finally gotten her heart under control when she took a sit next to Miranda on the soft green grass that would surely stain Miranda's beige Gucci pants.

"The cabin was Stephen's idea." Andy looked at Miranda almost in surprise at having the silence broken. "He thought the girls should get out more. He was gone before we had a chance to come up here." Miranda said and snorted, just like in Paris right after Stephen had left. "Then the girls refused to come up with Bailey. They said it was ours, no men. I asked them why and Caroline said that men never stuck around so they didn't want to share such a special place with them."

Miranda's voice choked a bit over the last sentence and Andy was gripped by the fear that Miranda would cry. She would cry right there and then in front of her forcing her to do something stupid like hug Miranda and kiss away the tears. She hoped she didn't cry. God help her if Miranda actually cried in front of her. "They're not thirteen yet and they already expect the worst from live. I did that to them."

She hated to hear Miranda blame herself but the twins were right. Men never seemed to stick around Miranda. Andy couldn't figure out why. The woman was challenging at the best of times and a total psycho-bitch at the worst of times but she was special that much had always been crystal clear to Andy. The woman was special; precious even at least she was to her.

"I think they have more sense than I do." It was followed by a sniffled and Andy felt the throat constrict. Please don't cry. Please don't cry.

"Miranda" Her voice was soft and smooth and she hoped soothing.

When Miranda looked at her she seemed a bit disoriented, as if she had forgotten Andy was sitting beside her. Andy winced, what had possessed her to speak!

But Miranda didn't bite her head off. She didn't even glare at her, instead she softly said, "Let's go home" before standing up and offering her hand to Andy.

XXXXXX

The rest of the day drift away as Andy helped Miranda make lunch and set the table. They eat lunch in much the same mood as they had breakfast though at a much slower pace.

Andy had been dreading being in the cabin with Miranda and nothing to do. Nothing to distract her from Miranda, from the way she smelled or the way she moved, or from the shape and color of her lips. Nothing, but Miranda. Temptation thy name is woman. Andy had always thought that phrase was crap but now she had to agree.

Good god. It was so not fair.

But as it turned out Miranda wasn't in the mood to bear her soul anymore, which meant that she could breath somewhat easier. No soul bearing meant there was no chance at all of Miranda's eyes misting over. No chance of tears. Instead Miranda took possession of one end of the sofa and Andy sat on the other, the television was clicked on and HBO was decided on and they settled down for an afternoon of movie watching.

It was bizarre behavior again but it was much better than having nothing to distract her from wanting to kiss Miranda.

Sometime between watching Becoming Jane and the start of the Affair of the Necklace Miranda got up and made popcorn. Andy had smiled at her like the completely love sick little fool she was. Miranda simply raised a dignified eyebrow and Andy tired her damn hardest not to burst out laughing. Miranda must have thought she was unhinged because she completely ignored her for the rest of the afternoon.

Miranda only looked her way when the sun started to set outside the windows, "Andrea I believe dinner is up to you."

Andy had nearly choked on a piece of popcorn. She almost drove herself crazy thinking about what she could possibly cook. She got up and rummaged around the kitchen for the better part of twenty minutes and still came up completely empty. Without so much as a prayer she walked back to the sofa phone in hand, "So do want Chinese or pizza?"

When Miranda looked at her, she was trying to hide her smirk. "You don't cook?"

Answering a question with a question was so not fair! And wait a second was Miranda Priestly teasing? Her? OH FUCK! Don't hyperventilate Andrea, do not over react, and just play it by ear. "Not without a recipe." She said giving Miranda her best smile.

Miranda snorted in amusement this time and turned back to the movie. For a minute Andy thought she was going to ignore her again but after a minute or so, "Pizza and make sure its Pizza Hut because I don't like anything else."

Andy nodded and looked up the closest Pizza Hut and dialed. " What toppings would you like?"

Miranda gave her a wicked smiled and then, "Surprise me."

Oh no! Why me? Seriously _surprise me_ was a death sentence. She had no idea what Miranda like and if she got it wrong well Miranda probably had her portable guillotine with her. "Ok." She squeaked and put in an order for classic pepperoni and Hawaiian, couldn't go wrong either way.


	7. Chapter 7

_AN: Thank you all for the great reviews, I really do appreciate each and everyone of them. Enjoy-xio_

VII.

Miranda turned off the television when Marie Antoinette ended and sat back. "The costumes where remarkably chic don't you think Andrea? Though at one point she had so much bumble gum pink on she looked like a lemon meringue."

Andy snorted because she had thought the exact same thing when she had first seen the movie. Seriously they didn't have to drown her in pastels to say she was a girly girl.

"Going to bed?" Andy asked when Miranda got up and watched Miranda nod as she rubbed her neck. She tired to suppress the desire to offer Miranda a neck message. Which was really hard considering she was also trying to hide her disappointment. Of course Miranda wouldn't want to sleep on the sofa with her again. Nope. It was just a one off and Andy had gotten all her hopes up for no reason what so ever, because seriously, she wished! Miranda had absolutely no interest in her as a friend or otherwise. Nope.

Her eyes were not going to fill with tears and her throat was not going to get all choked up, no way she'd rather drink a gallon of Clorox than let Miranda in on her stupidly hopeful feelings. "Ok, good night." She said staring at the blank television screen.

Miranda stepped between her and her target and extended her hand.

Andy stared at it. What the fuck was going on now!

"Andrea…"

Andy looked up at Miranda who gave her a pointed look. She acted liked she didn't understand because Miranda was not asking her to take her hand and sleep in her bed. Nope. No way. Andy wasn't that crazy. Hell even Miranda wasn't that crazy.

Was she?

When she didn't respond Miranda reached for her lap where Andy had her hands and took hold of one and tugged. "The sofa is not nearly as comfortable as a real bed, Andrea, and I refuse to spend another night on it."

Shit! She was.

Then she tugged harder and Andy stood because she didn't think Miranda would stop tugging until she did what she wanted.

"Miranda, I don't think that's a good…"

"Don't worry," Miranda interrupted. "We'll turn on the television." And then she tugged again and let go of Andy's hand.

She didn't want to go. She wanted to stay sane but she felt the loss of Miranda's hand like a bucked of ice dumped on her head and her higher brain functions fled the room following Miranda so she had no choice but do the same.

XXXXXX

After an awkward moment or two as they made their way around the room and decided who would change first Miranda slipped under the covers while she stood stiffly beside the bed.

Miranda arched an eyebrow scrutinizing her but Andy didn't budge so then she pulled back the covers from what would be Andy's side of the bed and patted the mattress. "Andrea…" Andy didn't move a muscle. The sofa bed fine she could chuck that up to the insanity of the previous day but a repeat? And in Miranda's bed? And just how the hell was she supposed to keep her cool when so would be so close to Miranda for an entire night? How when she had dreaming of being that close for over a year? When she wanted to kiss and touch Miranda until she was no longer afraid of her. "Get. In. Now."

Andy did because she was more terrified of Miranda in that moment that she had ever been. She could deal with things that had to do with the job that was fine, but this… this was personal. This was her heart on the line and worst of all was that Miranda didn't even know it.

The television did its job but unlike the night before they didn't sleep soundly and certainly not the whole night.

Sometime after midnight Andy shifted in her sleep and bumped into something. She tried to keep her eyes close but she had the horrible feeling that someone was watching her like a hawk, so she opened her sleepy eyes and looked into Miranda's baby blues. "Hey" she said.

Miranda didn't respond.

"Are you…can't sleep?" Oh now that was a brilliant question, if she could sleep then she'd be sleeping! Idiot, idiot, idiot.

But to her surprise Miranda, answer with a quick shake of her head.

"Are you ok?"

"No," Miranda's tight half-choked voice made it clear that she wasn't. She had either been crying, or she was trying very hard not to cry.

"What's up?" Andy said in her most gentle voice, like she was talking to a small child that had just fallen down and scraped its knee.

"Bailey."

Andy felt like the bed had vanished from under her when a tear escaped Miranda's right eye and then another. She had never seen Miranda crying. Actually she doubted anyone had ever seen Miranda crying, at least not in her adult life. It wasn't a pretty sight, it was horrible, and it made her feel horrible and murderous. She would really have to kill Bailey now.

"His an asshole." Andy said as she reached out to wipe away a tear form Miranda's cheek. Miranda eyes looked at her pleadingly and filled with sorrow. "You love him." She felt like a jerk now, and her throat closed a bit at the thought that after everything Miranda might actually still love him.

But the thought left her as Miranda laughed sarcastically. "No I don't. I doubt I ever did."

"Oh." Well that was…good at least for her it was really good. "So why?"

"He left. They all leave. They always leave." There was another tear. "Maybe the girls are right, it should be just us from now on."

No. She wanted to scream at Miranda. No, please. I'm here. I'm not going anywhere. Instead it came out as a whisper, "I'm here."

Miranda actually smiled at her and it wasn't a you-little-idiot-smile, it was sweet. "But you don't count Andrea," Andy felt like kicking herself but then "I wish you did, but you don't."

Oh my god. Oh my god! "I could count. If you wanted, I could…" She knew she had to be beet red by now and hoped to god Miranda couldn't see it.

Miranda's eyes were positively x-raying her soul. It was so intense Andy actually felt her insides melting. Then the sweet smile was back. "We'll see."

Wait what?! Did Miranda just…did she really mean it like Andy thought she did? Oh WOW! Ok, don't over react. Don't hyperventilate. Dying right then would just not do!

Miranda snuggled into her like the night before. "Go to sleep Andrea."

"I'll make breakfast in the morning." She offered for no reason what so ever except that she wanted to do things for Miranda now, she wanted to pamper her in every way she would let her.

"Good because you certainly didn't make dinner."

Andy laughed and couldn't help placing a kiss on Miranda's head. Miranda looked up at her with a raised eyebrow. She smiled and did it again this time pressing her lips to Miranda's smooth forehead.

"Go to sleep Andrea."

"Ok."


	8. Chapter 8

VIII.

Andy awoke Sunday morning to the feel of half of her body being numb. She felt a smile spread over her lips before she ever opened her eyes. This was definitely the way to wake up. She would kill to be able to wake up like this every day.

"You are excessively cheerful for such an early hour, Andrea." The sound came from somewhere near her breast, and was slightly muffled. Suddenly, wished she wasn't so numb

"Yeah." Her voice was dreamy. Miranda would probably not approve of that either. But the happy, shameless hopeful feeling that had filled her the night before when the woman draped on her had said that maybe Andy could count, hadn't felt her. So yeah, she was excessively cheerful, but who cared? She didn't.

Miranda moved a bit. "Why?"

Why? Did Miranda really want to know? Andy wouldn't mind telling her but she wasn't sure. Miranda might revert into her usual snarky self and ruin the remaining hours of what had turn out to be a good weekend. "I slept like a baby."

She looked down at Miranda and saw the 'don't take me for a fool' look and thought that she might have ruined everything anyway.

"Me too."

Andy laughed as pure unadulterated relieve flooded her body in the guise of endorphins. She leaned down and kissed Miranda's forehead like the night before.

"You are getting much too comfortable with doing that." Miranda's eyes were downcast and Andy could see a slight blush spreading at the collar of her pajamas.

She took strength from the exquisite shade of lavender pink. "I know." She said and then did it again.

Miranda's eyes moved up to catch her own and Andy could feel herself turning a bit pink too. Well good at least they would match. Miranda passed her fingers through her hair and pulled away from her. "Yes well…" She coughed. "Are you going to make breakfast or am I to starve?"

She felt like kissing Miranda again but resisted the urge. The way she was going she might end up covering Miranda in sap. Andy seriously doubted Miranda would like that no matter how much of a romantic she was. Not that Andy had a any real prove that Miranda was a romantic at all, but she had a really good gut feeling. And even if Miranda was a romantic, being covered in sap wouldn't be welcomed.

"No, no need to starve. What would you like?" There was a raised eyebrow and a slight lift of the left corner of the lips. "Wait don't tell me…I should surprise you, right?"

The slight lift turned into a full-blown smile. Andy shook her and headed for the kitchen.

[]

It turned out that they hadn't woken at an early hour after all, as Andy discovered when she reached the kitchen to start breakfast. It was a little past eleven. So breakfast turned out to be really brunch. She tried hurried while still making a big meal since she knew that Miranda was a big eater. She had yet to figure out how the woman stayed so fit. She stood there for a minute trying to decide whether she should make it breakfast in bed or not. Yeah right! Silly romantic notions. Again.

She set the table and called Miranda, who made her smile by showing up still in her pajamas. "Brunch," she said indicating the spread on the table with her arm.

Miranda raised her eyebrow in question.

"It's eleven."

Miranda looked at the clock on the stove, her mouth slightly open in surprise. "We'll have to hurry then," she said sitting down in front of her.

"How come?" She asked through a fork full of eggs. She squirmed a bit at Miranda's obvious dislike at her table manner.

"The girls are due back tonight at six sharp and in case you've forgotten, the drive back is more than six hours. I don't want to risk not being there to pick them up. I wasn't there to see them off." There was concern laced with the somewhat tight tone.

Andy put her fork down and stood immediately. "So you eat you're brunch while I pack the bags and we can get on the road in a hour or so."

Miranda pinned her with a blank look. An actual blank look, like if she couldn't quiet decided whether to be confused, impressed, or irritated by the suggestion. It made Andy nervous. "I can just grab something and eat it in the car. No problem."

The look transformed into obvious irritation. "Sit down and eat, Andrea."

Andy sat down too freaked by the sudden downturn the perfect weekend escape had taken to do anything else.


	9. Chapter 9

**IX**

**Though Miranda made her eat breakfast at the table, Andy ate at break neck pace and within ten minutes she was finished. Those extremely short lunch breaks at Runway had finally come in handy. She showered while Miranda finished her own breakfast and packed both of their bags up before Miranda finished getting dressed. By the time Miranda exited her room bag in hand and Channel sunglasses firmly in place Andy had everything ready. **

**She had even put the bags in the car.**

**Andy couldn't see Miranda's eyes through the dark glasses, but she knew from the wave of dizziness that hit her, that she had been looking her up and down regardless. She didn't know if it was because she disapproved of her outfit, which she doubted because it was chic by any standards, or if she was actually impressed by her readiness. It was always hard to tell with Miranda. **

"**Let's go." **

**Andy nodded to no one because Miranda was already half way to the car and followed her. Fearing that she had been right about the down turn the weekend seemed to be taking, because of Miranda's apparently souring mood, she hurried down the steps of the porch and got into the car hoping it wouldn't turn into a hundred thousand dollar plus prison. **

**As luck would have it, the ride wasn't it as bad as she had feared. For starters, Miranda turned on the radio this and tuned it to some easy listening station that seemed to play 90s and current music. So, she was somewhat entertain as the meandered through interstate highways. She thanked her lucky stars two hours into their road trip for the music because Miranda didn't seem to be interested in talking to her or even looking her way. **

**That was the norm of course. **

**But Andy had gotten used to talking to Miranda nonstop for the past thirty-six hours so the silence was a real disappointment. It shouldn't be. She knew it was stupid to expect anything different from Miranda than to be Miranda. So what if she had talked to her? So what if she had opened up and cried in front of her? So what if Miranda had snuggled into her both nights? So what if she had pressed her lips to Miranda's perfect skin and made her breakfast? **

**None of it mattered. She shouldn't get her hopes up. She shouldn't expect to be treated differently. **

**Still Miranda had said she could count. She had said she might count. Hadn't she? **

**Andy let her head fall against the headrest and looked out the window at the passing countryside. She wanted to count. She prayed to god that she did because she didn't know if she could deal with not counting, not anymore. **

**Not anymore because now she knew the feel of Miranda's body next to her own and that Miranda actually liked to be surprised. **

**XXXXXX**

**They made it to the city in record time. They had only stopped twice for gas, at one of those stops on the highway that had different food venues and, to her great relief a Starbucks for Mirada's coffee fix. Miranda still had not said a word to Andy except ask her to buy coffee. Yes, she had actually asked Andy to buy the coffee. It was only a few words but it was different. It wasn't an order. So, Andy had a smile on her lips for the rest of the ride. **

**By five-fifty, they were standing side by side waiting for the girls at Grand Central. Their clothes somewhat wrinkled but at least they were on time. Miranda wouldn't have anything to worry about because she was on time for the girls like always. **

**As the train pulled into the station, Andy felt delicate fingers slip into her own. She looked down surprised at her hand and then at Miranda. She looked extremely nervous. Andy didn't understand the look since her brain was too focused on the fact had she was holding hands with Miranda in the middle of Grand Central. **

"**I haven't told them yet." **

**Andy stared at Miranda for a minute before realizing what she was talking about. "It'll be ok," she said, squeezing Miranda's hand. **

**It had to be. After all the twins weren't little girls anymore but teenagers. They were fourteen-year-old replicas of their mother. They were just as intelligent and perceptive as Miranda and had the same ability to kick someone's ass without raising their voice, never mind a hand. She couldn't see how they wouldn't already know that Bailey had left Miranda. That despite Miranda's best effort, and yes Miranda had actually made, an effort she had been witness to it, he had still left. **

"**Will it?" **

**Andy could hear the tremors in Miranda's voice. "Yes." She gave Miranda's hand another squeeze and let go when she saw two redheads moving in their direction. **

"**Hey mom," the twins echoed, giving their mother a kiss on the cheek. **

"**Hello girls." Andy could still hear the tremors, but apparently the twins didn't since they didn't mention it. **

"**Well that hair cut was ill-advised." Cassidy said when she spotted Andy hovering nearby without so much as batting an eyelash before insulting her. Though she had become quite adept at telling the girls apart, it was now that Cassidy had decided that she wanted to sport her mother's hairstyle. **

**Andy could say the same about Cassidy's hairstyle. Surely you had to be at least old enough to buy a drink before being able to pull off that hairstyle and the attitude. **

"**Cassidy, leave Andrea alone." **

**Andy did a double take because Miranda had never ever defended anyone from the twins, at least not her assistants. Assistants were the Miranda knew or cared, the twins' playthings. It had always been that way as far as Andy knew. **

**Cassidy gave her a malicious look, handed over her bag, and followed Miranda towards the exit. **

"**Hey, Andy," Caroline said. Caroline, Andy had noticed over the years, was the sweeter of the two and had better manners. She really liked Caroline and for some strange reason Caroline liked her too. **

"**Hey, kiddo. How'd it go?" Andy extended her hand to take Caroline's bag, but Caroline shook her head. **

"**Fine I guess, but she's in a bad mood." **

"**Well that should make everything bright and sunny," Andy said, making Caroline laugh. **

**Andy tossed the twins' bags in the trunk then turned to Miranda. "Ok you're all set." **

"**You're not coming with us?" Caroline stopped at the opened car door. **

"**Thank god." Cassidy rushed past Caroline and got into the car. **

"**Not unless your mother needs me," Andy said then, realizing just whom the hell she was talking to, added, "…to do something else."**

**Miranda gave her a pointed look, the type that felt like an x-ray. "I do." Then she got into the car. **

"**Guess I'm coming with you, kiddo." She closed the door behind Caroline then rushed to the passenger side and got in. **


	10. Chapter 10

X.

Miranda parked the car by the curb. She opened the door for the twins, who rushed inside the townhouse, obviously happy to be home with Miranda on their heels. Andy was left standing on the sidewalk, trying to figure out what the hell she was supposed to do now. She stood there for a minute thinking of a million different things she could do. She decided that Miranda would probably want her to do one thing and one thing alone, her job. Sighing, she grabbed the keys from the ignition and opened the trunk. Andy took a bag on each hand and headed inside. It took her a few trips to get all the bags inside the house.

Andy placed Miranda's bag next to the twins' inside of one of the many hallway closets that had given her such a headache early on. Andy hadn't seen either Miranda or the twins since they had disappeared up the stairs. But when she closed the closet door and turned, Miranda was right in front of her.

Andy refused the urge to put her hand over her heart as she almost jumped out of her skin. "Was there anything else?"

"Would you mind taking the car back to the garage?"

There it was again, the asking thing. Andy felt her heart skip a beat again, but this time she wasn't scared. "No, I don't mind at all."

Really she didn't. If Miranda asked people to do things in that strange sweet tone she had just used, Andy doubted there was a person in the world that would say no to her.

Miranda placed the keys in Andy's hand and didn't let go. They walked to the door hand in hand. Andy picked up her bag on the way out and got a questioning look from Miranda, but she only smiled. "Thank you, Andrea."

"No problem." Andy let go of Miranda and walked down the steps to the sidewalk then turned around. Miranda was still at the door. " If you have trouble sleeping turn on the tv and call me."

Miranda made no move to either accept or reject the invitation, but Andy knew she heard it. So, with a final smile Andy got into the car and drove away.

[]

Andy had just stepped into her apartment when her cell-phone rang. She dropped the bag just inside the door and rummaged through her handbag in search of the annoying ringtone she had been putting her life on hold for the past three years. After deciding there was definitely too much crap inside her handbag, Andy's fingers finally wrapped around the cell-phone just as it stopped ringing.

"Oh give me a break." Andy looked at the screen to see who had just been sent to voicemail. It was Miranda. Oh crap! Miranda's calls weren't supposed to get sent to voicemail. It didn't matter that it was probably not work related. She was supposed to answer any and all of Miranda's calls. "Aw, fuck, shit, damn it."

She shook her head at the phone and put it in her pocket as she walked to her refrigerator. She hadn't eaten anything since brunch and that had been rushed. Andy searched the impossibly empty fridge and sighed. "Take out it is." She put in an order to Chinese restaurant down the block, got herself some juice and head for the sofa.

Andy had just kicked off her heels when her cell phone went off again. This time though she was ready and answered after the first ring. "Hello, Miranda?"

There was a short pause that filled Andy with uncertainty. "Miranda?"

"You didn't answer your phone. You told me to call, Andrea, and then you didn't answer your phone."

Andy swallowed because Miranda sounded somewhat peeved. It was not a good start. She had asked Miranda to call her not just for Miranda sake, but also for herself. She wasn't sure where she stood anymore. Was she simply Miranda's assistant? Was she Miranda's friend? Something more? She didn't know. What Andy did know was that she couldn't stand being the inconsequential assistant, not again.

"I'm sorry. I had just opened my door when you call and I couldn't get to the phone in time." Silence. "I'm sorry."

"I just finished speaking with the girls."

Andy wasn't phased by the change in topic. Instead, she was thankful for it. "How did they take it?"

"As well as could be expected I suppose."

There was another long pause. Andy decided that talking over the phone with Miranda just wouldn't do. It wasn't the same. It was no where near the same as sitting in front of her and watching her eyes and mannerisms give away what her hard words never did.

"Well that's good right?"

"You and I evidently have a very different definition of good, Andrea."

"Maybe…so are you going to tell me how they reacted?" She hoped she didn't sound too demanding. Miranda did not like being told what to do, but she wanted to avoid any sort of verbal downward spiral.

Miranda coughed and then surprised Andy once again by acquiescing to the change in subject without comment. "Cassidy's reaction was exactly what I expected, though disappointing. And Caroline's was completely unexpected and I believe I disappointed her."

Andy worried her bottom lip at the sad tone that slipped into Miranda's voice at the end. "What did Cassidy do exactly?" She'd rather start with the easier of the two and work her way up.

"She threw the usual tantrum at a much higher volume. She shouted like only a fourteen-year old girl can. Then she stalked up the stairs as she complained about how unfair her life was and ended her little tirade by slamming her bedroom door." Miranda sighed, "It was very dramatic."

"You should put her drama classes. She'll fit right in."

Miranda laughed and Andy joined in because her comment had the desired effect. "Yes, but she has to work on her originality. I have seen her act before."

"Well, I'm sure a good acting coach can fix that."

"I am inclined to agree with you."

The knock on the door startled Andy so much that she dropped the phone. "Oh for fuck's sake!" She fumbled to grab the phone. There was another louder knock. "Coming, just give me a sec."

Andy brought the phone back to her ear. "Hello?"

"That was very colorful language, Andrea."

Louder knocking. "Damn it. One sec."

"You obviously have something more important to attend to. I'll see you tomorrow, Andrea."

"No, no…Miranda, wait. Just…I'm opening my door and paying the Chinese delivery guy. And now he is gone." She heard nothing but silence, but at least it wasn't dial tone. "I have nothing more important to do than talking to you. Ok? Nothing."

Andy was about to set to work on plating some food while holding onto the phone when Miranda words froze her still. "Why are so accommodating, Andrea?"

"What?"

"You didn't complain when I forced you to accompany me to the cabin, nor when I slipped under the covers with you the first night there, or when I broke down and cried all over you. And now there is nothing more important than staying on the phone with me. So my question, Andrea, is why?"

Andy didn't know what to say. She didn't know what to think. This was so out of left field. So she said the only thing that flew into the mind, "Its my job."

"I see." Miranda tone could have frozen the sun.

"Wait, that didn't come out right. Miranda? Miranda!" Andy shouted into the phone but it was too late, all she could hear was the dial tone. "God damn it!"


	11. Chapter 11

XI

Andy woke up extra early the next morning, pulling herself out of bed after tossing and turning for most of the night. Miranda's chilly last words had left her feeling like she had a huge hole in her stomach. A hole that made it impossible to eat, which in turn only made her stomach hurt more. Trying to fall asleep had been a torturous affair. One she didn't want to repeat anytime soon. That combined with the fact that Miranda slept in her own house, in her own bed, on the other side of town instead of in Andy's arms made the night almost unbearably long.

Andy was glad it was over.

She took a quick shower and picked out her newest acquisition from the Closet. Something she had picked out simply because Miranda had liked the color so much it had made her smile, and dressed. She grabbed her handbag and her cream coat then headed out the door.

When she hit the sidewalk, the chilly October air hit her exposed skin, making her almost wished she had worn something warm and comfy instead. Andy took her phone and texted Charlotte, telling she would pick up Miranda's coffee herself. Her phone rang almost instantly.

"Why? I was on my way to Starbucks right now." Charlotte spoke rapidly as if scared that Andy was going to tell her Miranda had fired her.

Andy couldn't really blame her. She had been the one to put the fear of god, or the devil as was the case, into Charlotte. She had told her that the only reason she would ever need to pick Miranda's coffee herself was if Miranda fired Charlotte. "Don't worry Charlotte she didn't fire you. She kind of likes you."

"Andy, be serious."

"Ok, ok, maybe not. But I just need to do this today. Go to the office instead. I should be there soon. If she gets there before me, call me, ok?"

"Ok."

"Bye," Andy said before hanging up.

Twenty arduous minutes later, Andy walked out of the subway and walked the last block to the Starbucks closest to Elias-Clarke. She was out of breath. She was way too used to being driven around. She had just walked in when her phone vibrated. It was a text from Roy, 'Andy she called me early. She'll be there in five'.

No, no! She hadn't even put in her order yet. Why the hell would Miranda pick that day of all days to be early? Why on the day that Andy had decided to get the Starbucks herself as a peace offering? She didn't even have anything to go in early for. The entire schedule had gone out the window and Andy had yet to make a new one. Oh what the hell?

"Please hurry up," Andy muttered as she tapped her Jimmy Choo's on the floor impatiently.

Why, why, why, why! Damn it. She was going to be so late. Why!

The suddenly it hit her like a brick to the head. Could Miranda's decision to come in early be more that a mere coincidence? Could it be that Miranda hadn't liked the way their phone call had ended either? Had Miranda lost sleep over it too?

No, no way. Silly romantic feelings! Andy hated them. All they ever did was raise her hopes.

If Miranda did lose sleep over it, then Andy needed to extend an olive branch more than she thought. If Miranda lost sleep then, Andy actually hurt her with her stupid 'It's my job' comment. Shit!

Andy put in the order when her phone rang. "Hello?"

"Where are you?"

"Charlotte? What is it? Is she there?" She heard Charlotte whimper. "Oh god she is."

"Andy, she came in like ten minutes ago and she is fuming. She wants to know what's taking you so long. She's barking orders left and right, and everyone is taking refuge as best they can and you're not here. "

"I'll be there soon. Ok? Charlotte, you can handle this."

"No, Andy you don't understand. She is going to kill someone soon, and I think it's going to be me. I mean Nigel is hiding!"

Andy sighed. If Nigel was hiding, then they were in real trouble. "Alright. I will be there a.s.a.p." Just as she shut the phone the barista pushed the tray towards her. "Thanks," she shouted and was out in a flash.

Andy found herself practically running across the street, through the lobby, and into the nearest elevator then standing uncomfortably in the small metal box while repeatedly pushing the button for the thirty-six floor.

Nigel met her at the elevator. "Where have you been, Six? We are at DEFCON 1, the missiles are armed, and the only person with the deactivation codes does an Elvis."

She stood there for a minute and stared at him. "Nigel, what the hell were you watching all weekend?" Andy asked, laughing.

"My cable was nonexistent. So, I got cozy with my Bond dvd collection."

Andy slapped Nigel's hand away as he went for the coffee. "No way, mister! These are for Miranda."

"What all of them?"

"Well no, one is mine. Just me and Miranda."

"Like this weekend?" Nigel asked, obviously curious and opened the glass door for Miranda's outer office.

"Exactly."

Nigel grabbed Andy's arm and stepped close to her so only she could hear him. "Whatever you did, Six, and I know you did something so don't you dare lie to me, fix it because I'm not going under the guillotine for you."

Andy pulled away. "What happened to the James Bond metaphors?"

"I just remembered it's never a cold war when Miranda is involved." He headed for the door then stopped, "By the way, we need a new schedule."

She frowned at his retreating back. It wasn't like she didn't already know that.

Andy dropped her bag and coat on her desk then walked into Miranda's office. No one noticed her as Miranda berated Alex and Sam from the art departed over picking the wrong shade of pink. She felt sorry for them. Miranda looked up from the apparently offending mock up and stopped mid-sentence. She just stopped and stared at Andy.

Andy swallowed her nerves and stepped forward. The abrupt end to Miranda's tirade didn't go unnoticed and soon both Alex and Sam were staring at her as well.

"Morning, Miranda. Sorry to interrupt I just…"

Andy didn't get any farther. "That's all."

Neither Alex nor Sam acknowledged it. They simply stood and stared at Andy like they had just seen the Virgin Mary, which she guessed in their minds she was now for saving them from Miranda's wrath.

Once they were alone, Andy put the tray on the desk and leaned on it a bit so she was looking down at Miranda. "I'm sorry about last night." Miranda continued to stare at her. "It's not just because of my job." Nothing, after Miranda forgave her they were going to have to talk about uncomfortable silences. "This," she said taking Miranda's latte and holding out until Miranda took it from her, "is my olive branch."

When Miranda took a sip, Andy smiled. At least she hadn't ended up wearing her olive branch. "Ok, I'm going to try to fix the schedule now. Ok?"

Miranda continued to stare at her as if she had just told her aliens had landed in Central Park or worst like if the twins had just ordered the entire Sears catalogue.

She just stood there and waited. After a too long staring contest, there was a small nod. Andy turned and started walking towards the doors.


	12. Chapter 12

XII.

The rest of her day was consumed with trying to fit in two meeting with the editors, one with the big suits, and two unofficial meetings with some up and comers, all of which were suppose to have happen during the weekend, into the already extremely tight schedule for the next couple of days.

It had been a long day of juggling the two computer calendars while talking to other people's assistants, who were juggling their own calendars. Her butt had gone numb at some point from sitting for far too long, her fingers hurt from typing too fast, and she could feel a migraine coming on but, at seven, she was done.

Finally done.

That's when Miranda walked back into the office after being away at some meeting or the other the entire day. Andy hadn't seen her since she had given Miranda the coffee that morning.

She seemed in a hurry and she didn't toss her coat at Charlotte. She didn't look at Andy either.

"Charlotte, go to the art department and tell Samantha that I want to see her and Alexander again tomorrow as soon as I walk in."

"Ok," Charlotte said getting up.

"And Charlotte, tell Samantha that if I don't like what she shows me, one or both of them will be unemployed by ten."

Charlotte looked somewhat startled but she scurried away regardless.

"Andrea." Miranda leaned against Andy's desk as she had done that morning. "Is the dress an olive branch as well?"

"Huh?" Andy said like an idiot, surprised at having Miranda's attention on her for the first time since the morning.

"If it was, then you needn't have bothered with the coffee. You are very fetching in my favorite shade of blue." She said, giving Andy one of those to die for smiles.

"Oh…" Andy blushed furiously and felt joy invade every part of her body. She had almost given up on getting Miranda to notice her attire and the reason behind it. Now, though, she felt so happy she opened her mouth before she could think properly "Do you want me to deliver the book tonight?" She was desperate to have some time with Miranda, any time at all because she was starting to have withdrawal symptoms.

"That is not in your job description, Andrea." There was an evil glint in Miranda's eyes. It was evil planning mix with amusement.

It was a trap.

It would have made Andy very nervous if she hadn't been ready for it. She was ready because if anything was true about her it was that she didn't make the same mistake twice. No, sir, she always learned from her mistakes. Not to mention that agonizing over her stupid comment meant it was fresh in her mind. "I do a lot of things that aren't in my job description, Miranda. I do them because it makes me happy to do them, especially for you."

"Really?" If anything Miranda seemed more evil than usual. Oh no…had she miscalculated? No. Definitely not, there was still humor in Miranda's voice.

"Yes, really," Andy said her voice full of confidence in that this at least was true. She did so much she wasn't supposed to just to make Miranda happy. Apparently Miranda, knew it too because she made a small noise that sounded sort of like an affirmation and tapped her chin with her finger in a way that made Andy think about kissing her. Though, truthfully, she rarely needed any visual stimuli to think about kissing Miranda. "So, should I wait for the book?"

"No, Andrea, Charlotte, will the delivery the book as usual. You have already done part of her job today."

"Oh…" Andy couldn't hide the disappointment quickly enough and when Miranda's eyes narrow on her, she thought she was in for it.

"Andrea…" It surprised her when Miranda's voice wasn't scathing. Instead it was that gentle tone she used with the twins and had used with her at the cabin. It was the tone that made people remember that Miranda was a very warm and loving person when she wanted to be. "…My sweet Andrea."

Andy inhaled sharply at Miranda's words and watched Miranda's hand move until it was grazing the skin of Andy's hand as it rested on the desk.

"I'm incredibly tired and cannot afford you as a distraction tonight."

It seemed to cost Miranda a great deal to admit to this, but Andy would have to stupid not to know it. Being in meeting after meeting always tired Miranda out. That was why meetings were spaced out between more editorial duties, which Miranda enjoyed. Andy wanted to kick herself for not remembering something so essential, for making Miranda feel guilty for it.

"Alright, I'll see you tomorrow." She used her most cheery voice and smiled at Miranda for good measure.

She was happy to see Miranda's to die for smile reappear. "Yes, goodnight, Andrea."

"Night, Miranda." Andy watched her turn towards the door then called after her, "Don't forget to turn your tv on." If anything Miranda's to die for smile became more deadly.

As Miranda exited through the main door, Charlotte appeared through the other, making Andy jump in her seat and worry about how much of the exchange she had witnessed or heard.

"What's wrong with you?" Charlotte asked, sounding so like Emily, it scared her.

"Nothing. I'm just exhausted, you know. With this weekend going how it did, I haven't had any down time in over a week."

Charlotte nodded. "About that, Nigel asked me to tell you he wanted to discussed this weekend with you today."

"Today?"

"Yeah he said he would buy you a drink or something," Charlotte said as she tapped away at her keyboard.

Andy watched her then began to collect her things. She was not going to talk to Nigel over drinks. She was too tired to think straight and too fresh off of one her sweet moments with Miranda to be guarded enough to talk to him.

"You're leaving?" Charlotte looked up at her expectantly. She had never stood Nigel up before, and Andy was sure it probably looked completely out of character but there was a lot of that going around.

"Yeah, I'm too tired for anything that doesn't involve falling into bed." She grabbed her coat. "Charlotte, if Nigel comes looking for me could you tell him I'm sorry and that I'll see him tomorrow?"

"Of course, goodnight, Andy."

"Night, Charlotte."


	13. Chapter 13

XIII.

Andy woke up refreshed the next morning. She had fallen into an exhausted sleep almost as soon as she had entered her apartment and had finally been able to rest. There was none of the apprehension of the previous night. No angst. Nothing, but sweet sleep, and as Andy got ready for work she couldn't really think of anything wrong with the world. Certainly there was nothing wrong with her little part of the world. Miranda was no longer upset with her and Andy was going to try her damn hardest to avoid upsetting her with some stupid comment.

Everything was wonderful. Andy walked out of her apartment and got into the Elias-Clarke car that picked her up every morning. She decided that nothing would ruin that feeling and she would try as hard as possible to make Miranda feel the same way.

Maybe that was the best way to proceed with the new found closeness between Miranda and herself. To anticipate Miranda's needs more than ever before, and make sure that Miranda's day went as flawlessly as possible. There wasn't much else she could do anyway. It was Miranda Priestly after all, maybe a much nicer Miranda, but Miranda nonetheless. And that meant that the ball would always be in her court. Always.

As Andy thanked the driver, Vince, her phone went off. "Hello, Miranda."

"I hope you haven't decided to make getting my Starbucks part of your job, Andrea."

Andy smiled widely. "Don't worry I haven't."

"I don't remembering saying anything about being worried."

Andy could almost hear Miranda roll her eyes at Andy in that you're amusing me way. "No, but I know you were."

"Do you?"

Andy was about to reply with something to further amuse Miranda when she felt someone touch her arm. She turned to find Miranda looking at her with a certain sparkle in her eyes. Andy closed her phone and used the time to look at Miranda's attire. She looked every bit the editor-in-chief of Runway except for the smile she seemed to be fighting. "Well…"

Andy did a double take. "What?"

"What makes you think that I would worry about you?" Miranda said flexing her fingers around Andy's bicep and guiding her through the doors of Elias-Clarke.

"Oh, that, well…" Andy didn't know if it was the feel of Miranda's arm or that they were now in the small space of the elevator, but for some reason she felt liked telling Miranda the truth. "…According to my source you almost went sort of mental yesterday when I didn't report to the office on time."

A faint blush spread up Miranda's neck in a very adorable way. "Tell your source that if she ever leaks information to you again she will have to find someone else for whom to fetch coffee."

The elevator doors opened a second later and Miranda excited in complete editor-in-chief mode, leaving Andy to stare at her with a smile on her face.

"So are you planning to get out of there or what?"

"Good morning to you too, Nigel," Andy said stepping out of the elevator.

"You stood me up yesterday."

"Yes, I'm sorry about that but I was exhausted."

Nigel gave a small nod and walked beside her in silence. When they reached Miranda's outer office Nigel didn't open the door, as she had expected, instead he turned to Andy and looked at her for a while. "So, now not only do you take off with Miranda during the weekend but you also come into work with her?"

Andy stood there stunned. She did know what to say. She opened her mouth but nothing came out. She just stood there with her mouth slightly opened until Nigel shook his head at her. "God, Andy, you don't even know what you're getting yourself into." With that he turned and left, leaving Andy feeling off balance.

She felt off balance for most of the day, making her already difficult job a complete nightmare and Miranda being in meetings again didn't help much. The happiness that had engulfed her that morning seemed to have vanished by noon, leaving her irritable. Since Charlotte was out with Miranda it left Andy alone in the office stuck to her desk and with a hell lot of frustration to deal with.

She pounded away at the keyboard trying to complete Miranda's expense report for the month. Andy had never liked numbers and in the current mood she was in, she liked them even less. Not for the first time since she had been made first assistant, she wished that all she had to deal with was getting Miranda her Starbucks and waiting around for the book.

Her head shot up as she heard Miranda bark out orders at Charlotte as she swept through the glass doors. Charlotte was still writing and nodding when Miranda disappeared into her office.

"How did it go?"

Charlotte looked up from her pad and sighed dramatically. "I just hope it's my last outing with her for the day."

"That bad?"

Charlotte smiled at her. "Days like today makes me wonder if there is something wrong with you."

Andy knitted her eyebrows at the comment. "What?"

Charlotte sat behind her desk and began sorting through her notepad. "I mean come on Andy. Who would willing stay here with her for three years? Especially when it's someone like you who has a possibly brilliant career waiting for you out there."

"So, it was very bad," Andy said to get Charlotte away from analyzing her too much. Andy had asked herself the same question too many times over the years before realizing what made her stay with Miranda. It wasn't an easy decision to forget about her writing career, but she was in love and that made it easier.

"Yeah."

Miranda walked out of her office again her coat already on. "Let's go." Charlotte scrambled to get out her seat. "Not you." Charlotte sat back done and Miranda looked at Andy. "Andrea."

Andy's eyebrows shot up right before her body did. She grabbed her coat and bag as quickly as possible.

"Call the car." Andy nodded and texted Roy then followed Miranda into the elevator.

"Where are we going?" Andy ventured because she was sick of people asking her questions. It was her turn.

"Lunch," Miranda said without batting an eyelash.

Miranda didn't speak to her or even look at her again until they reached the restaurant. It was a new sushi bar that opened not far from Elias-Clarke that Andy had wanted to visit since it opened the month before.

"This is nice," Andy said, sitting down.

Miranda looked around but didn't say anything.

"So, how did the meeting with Donatella go?"

Miranda exhaled and was about to speak when the waiter interrupted them. So instead of speaking to her Miranda ordered for both of them. Andy had never let anyone order for her before, but she wasn't about to argue with Miranda over something so small.

"I rather not talk about work right now."

Andy nodded and took a sip of water to collect her thoughts. With work out as a topic of conversation there wasn't much else for them to talk about. "How are the girls?"

She knew that she was going for the obviously easy subject, but she wasn't about to sit with Miranda at a restaurant in silence.

"Andrea," Miranda began then stopped and seemed to reconsidered whatever she was about to say. "The girls are fine as far as I can tell. Cassidy is, of course, still terribly upset and being terribly dramatic about it, and Caroline is somewhat sad but impossibly understanding." Miranda stopped again as the waiter placed their food and wine on the table. "I honestly don't know which one of them I should be more worried about."

"There both strong kids, Miranda. They'll get over it." Miranda nodded. "Plus they'll have plenty to do." Miranda's eyes seem to narrow in question. "With the acting coach and all."

"What?" Miranda asked before she apparently remembered their phone conversation from Sunday. "Ah, yes," She said then laughed softly. Andy couldn't take her eyes off her.


	14. Chapter 14

XIV.

Lunch turn out to be impossibly short, as far as Andy was concern. Miranda had yet another meeting that afternoon so they had to part ways at the doors of Elias-Clarke.

"Andrea," Andy paused as she opened the car door. "I wouldn't be back to the office today…the meeting with Patrick will most likely take all afternoon." Andy frowned because Miranda was explaining herself to her and there was no need. If there was ever someone who actually understood Miranda's busy schedule it was she. "I apologize."

Ok, that was just too much. The last thing Andy wanted was to be yet another person that criticized Miranda for the work ethic. She didn't want to be like all the men that Miranda had known. She didn't want Miranda to feel like she had to give up parts of herself. "And then you say you don't worry about me." She joked but Miranda didn't seem to be amused so Andy tried to be serious. "Miranda, please don't worry about it."

Miranda looked down at her hands. "I know we have to talk about this."

Andy felt her heart swell with happiness. They were doing this. They were actually doing this. Whatever this was they were going to do it. "Yes, but it doesn't have to be right now so please don't worry about it."

Miranda nodded.

"Charlotte is coming." Andy announced to give Miranda a second to compose herself. "Ok, call me if you need anything."

Miranda gave a slight nod, much more her style, and it made Andy smile widely. She stepped out of the car and allowed Charlotte to take her place next to Miranda.

She watched the car pull into traffic then headed back to Runway to be chained to her desk for the rest of the day.

[]

Miranda was true to her word and never made it back to the office, Andy was only slightly disappointed at not having a chance to see her again, but all in all she couldn't complain. With Miranda and Charlotte out she was able to get Miranda's expenses in order for the accounting department and that meant one less headache at the end of the month. Plus by six, when Charlotte walked back into the office, Andy was able to turn off her computer and walk out of Elias Clarke.

Thankfully traffic wasn't too horrible and the driver got her home in fifteen minutes.

Once home she decided that she was in much need of pampering and since she didn't have the money to splurge on a day at the spa, Andy decided to pamper herself at home.

She toed off her heels as she hung up her jacket in her small closet.

Moving to her bathroom, Andy crouched down to get the gift basket Lily had given her for her birthday four months before. She hadn't had the chance to use it yet, since she was always so busy. She opened the bottle of salt crystals and breathed in the lavender.

She smiled to herself as she opened the tab and watched her bathtub begin to fill with warm water for a bit then went about getting the rest of what she would need ready. She grabbed a few candles, turned off the lights, stripped, and grabbed her phone, just in case, then let herself sink into the warm water.

It was heavenly. Andy let her back rest against the end of the tub and closed her eyes.

She felt herself fall and opened her eyes with a start, she must have dosed-off. She looked around for what had woken her and saw her phone's screen light up then ring for what she guessed wasn't the first time. She reached for it. "Hello, Miranda."

"Is this to become a pattern, Andrea?"

"What?" Andy asked confused by both sleep and Miranda's words.

"You telling me to call and then not answering when I do."

Andy tried not to feel too guilty, especially since Miranda didn't sound upset. "Sorry. I fell asleep." She said letting her body fall back against the tub once more splashing a bit.

"Where are you?" Miranda's voice was full of curiosity.

"Oh," Andy smiled and blushed pink, "umm, in the bathtub." The blush turned red at the thought of having told Miranda where she was. How embarrassing, couldn't she had lied or something? Couldn't she have told Miranda she fell asleep on the couch or wherever, anywhere but the tub? No, of course not. Her embarrassment deepen when she thought of her current state of nakedness and more so that she was on the phone with Miranda, who now knew of her nakedness.

Andy breathed as the silence stretch out. In that silence she became aware of a warmth that had nothing to do with the temperature of the water.

"Miranda?"

"Isn't that dangerous?" Miranda's voice was hoarse and it made Andy inhale quickly.

"What?"

"Falling asleep in a tub full of water."

"Oh," Andy laughed and felt some of the tension leave her. "I guess."

"You should be more careful, Andrea." Miranda said obviously concern. It made Andy warm all over again.

"Miranda"

"Yes?"

"I wish you were here."

"In your apartment?" Miranda asked demurely.

"No," Andy said and swallowed down her shyness. "In my bathtub."

Andy heard Miranda gasped and then silence.

She closed her eyes and let her hand move slowly over her stomach and down her sides, and back up her inner thigh. She moaned.

"What are you doing!" Miranda demanded her voice an octave higher than usual.

Andy sighed, "Thinking of you."

"Andrea!" She guessed it was supposed to be a warning but it sounded more like encouragement to her ears.

Her hand moved higher. "Touching myself."

"Oh God."

She wasn't sure but she thought she heard Miranda gulp, it drove away any thoughts of decorum she had left. Besides she couldn't help herself. The water was divine and it made her caresses more tantalizing than usual. Plus touching herself while Miranda listened was making her burn up.

She pushed a digit against her pussy and moaned once more. It was louder this time, loud enough so that Miranda could not mistake it for anything else, loud enough, hopefully, to make Miranda burn up too.

"Andrea…I don't think we…"

Andy interrupted her. "I'm so wet, god... Miranda…it feels so good."

This time Andy was sure that Miranda gulped.


	15. Chapter 15

_AN: Chapter 16 is kind of short so I'm putting it up with this one. Two for one, yay._

XV.

When Andy walked into Elias-Clarke the next day, she was on shaky ground. After the whole bathtub incident, Miranda had unceremoniously hung up the phone. Miranda, of course, had done this almost, if not, every time they had ever spoken on the phone but this time it was different. Andy almost felt as if Miranda had walked off in the pre-dawn darkness after having spent the night. To her, that was exactly what Miranda had done. She had stuck around for the phone sex then ditched Andy as soon as it was over. It wasn't exactly what she had expected Miranda to do, though. Really she had no idea what she had expected because she had no idea she was going to do that in the first place.

Seriously she hadn't plan for anything to happen. It just sort of had and now she didn't know what to do.

She guessed she only really had two options either acknowledge what happened or ignore it completely. Andy hated the second option, but she just didn't know how to go about acknowledging it. Was she supposed to waltz into Miranda's office and kiss her? Or better yet make some smart and funny reference to it?

Andy, who had always been known for her witty remarks and boldness, when boldness was called for, wasn't sure she could do either.

As one scenario after another played out in her mind, each ending more horrible than the last, Andy rode the elevator to Runway's floor. She only looked up when the elevator announced it had arrived at its destination. Andy walked out and nearly walked into Nigel.

"Well, hey there stranger? Remember me, your long lost friend?"

Andy stood there confused for a bit before smiling apologetically at him. "Sorry about the other night, Nigel. I was exhausted."

"Forget the other night, sweet lips. I meant the last couple of days." He said as he pushed a cup of Starbucks into her hands.

"Oh, thanks."

"Yes, well, I do share my coffee." Andy looked apologetic again. "But that's not the point, did you misbehave again?"

Andy's eyes went wide and she felt herself get hot all over. "What? Why?"

"Oh god, Andy, you did! You misbehaved with Miranda!"

"Be quite," Andy pleaded as she pulled them away from the reception area and towards Nigel's office. "God."

"I'd be praying if I was you too sweetheart. I mean of all people Miranda!" Nigel said when they entered his office.

"She did NOT do anything."

Nigel looked at her very seriously then. "But you did. Didn't you? What did you do Andy?"

Andy knew she was blushing all over. "So what if I did?" She challenged, knowing, eventually Nigel would find out so she might as well tell him.

"Oh Andy…" He sounded really worried now. "She's in a foul mood again. I'm guessing that's your fault."

Andy turned a little redder. Nigel sighed. "Well then, I'd get going if I was you or you'll be late. And you know how much she loves that."

"Right. Thanks again for the coffee."

Nigel waved her off then paused to look at her. "Be careful, Andy. Remember people don't say the things they say about her because they had nothing better to do. She uses people. You should know that."

"It's always been different with me." Andy's voice was full of conviction. That was the one fact she had always been perfectly sure of. She had always been different in Miranda's eyes. She had never been like all the other people Miranda was surrounded with.

"Yes, you have been different from the beginning," he said then turned back to the photos on his desk.

"Right," She said again and rushed off. She didn't want to be late, not with Miranda in a foul mood especially not when it was her own fault.

She rushed into the outer office. The first thing she saw was Miranda slamming her phone down, stand from her chair and out of sight, probably towards her private bathroom.

"Oh my god, you're here. Where have you been?"

"What's going on?" Andy asked, putting down the Hermes bag she had been carrying.

"I don't really know, but it has to do with Bailey. Whatever it is, she is fuming."

Andy breathed a small sigh of relief. Maybe Miranda's mood wasn't really her fault. Maybe it was all on Bailey. Maybe she was off the hook for the previous night.

"I mean, good god, she wasn't exactly happy to start off. Now he's ruined the rest of the day for us if not the week," Charlotte continued in hushed tones.

"Wait," Andy interrupted as her brain caught up to Charlotte. "She was in a bad mood when she came in?"

Charlotte moved away from her desk with a smile to take a garment bag from Sarah and spoke only when she was sure Sarah was out of hearing range. "Well not so much a bad mood as a strange one. She was sort off of balance. I don't have any clue why, but it complicates things."

"Things?" Andy question.

Charlotte looked strangely at her. "Miranda has to approve the November layout by lunch so the issue can go to print and we have the December run-through today. Did you forget?"

She didn't want Charlotte to think she was off balance too. That would be too much of a coincidence. "I guess I did. The schedule has been so crazy lately and I've changed it so many times I just forgot." She picked up the bag again. "I should give this to her."

Charlotte nodded as Andy walked into Miranda's office. Miranda wasn't in her private bathroom as Andy had expected her to be. Instead, she was seated in one of the plush, cream color chair that made sitting area of her office, out of sight of the glass doors. Andy put the bag on the table and got closer to her.

"Morning, Miranda." Miranda opened her eyes immediately. Andy guessed it was because her voice was a bit shaky. "Are you all right?"

"You're source is in real danger of getting herself fired," Miranda said loud enough for Charlotte to hear.

"It was Nigel this time." Andy kneeled by the chair.

"He'll have to stop giving you information or he'll find himself out as well."

Andy took hold of Miranda's hand. "Are you really alright?"

When Miranda's hand tighten around hers, Andy felt instantly better about the previous night. Whatever had driven Miranda to hang-up had nothing to do with her or at least it was nothing she had to worry about. Miranda seemed perfectly at ease in her presence. Now she knew she wouldn't have to ignore the events of the previous night.

"No, not really." Andy choose not to say anything, she didn't want to push Miranda. "Bailey is making scandalous financial demands."

"He called?"

"I called him." That surprised Andy. During her divorce from Stephen, Miranda had sat back and let the lawyers handle everything. She had never once called Stephen. Apparently, Miranda saw her surprise because she clarified. "I don't want this divorce to drag on for months and months. I want it over and done with as soon as possible."

"But I thought a divorce usually took a year?"

"Only if it's contested. I wanted to settle things with Bailey to expedite the process."

"And he doesn't see it that way?" Andy said knowingly.

"He sees it as an opportunity to fatten his bank account."

Andy could see Miranda's mood darkening instead of improving. It was time to change the subject. "Well then," she said standing. "You have the run-through in thirty minutes and you still have to approve the layout."

"Push the run-through back until further notice. I have to concentrate on the current issue. If Samantha wasn't completely incompetent the issue would be finish."

Andy noticed Miranda rub her temple. "I'll get you some aspirin," she said and leaned towards Miranda, kissing her forehead.

"Oh no, Andrea, not there."

The hand at Miranda's temple reached towards Andy's face and pulled her closer until there lips met in a brief kiss. Miranda released her instantly and Andy stood again, a smiled on her lips. She sure as hell wasn't going to ignore any of it now, not even at the office. It was different now.

"I'll got get the aspirin."

Before she could move away, Miranda stopped her. "One more thing, Andrea, next time you feel like torturing me, don't do it over the phone." Miranda said and smiled at her.

Andy smiled back. "I'll be right back." It was oh so very different now.


	16. Chapter 16

XVI.

Andy wasn't supposed to delivery the book to Miranda, strictly speaking that was Charlotte's job, and Miranda had specifically told her not to do any part of Charlotte's job not three or four days before. For some reason that Andy wasn't entirely aware of, Miranda had changed her mind. She had asked her to wait around for the book instead and delivery it to the townhouse.

She had no problem with Miranda's request though. The fact that it had been a request, a very breathless one at that since she had just finished stealing a kiss from her boss, made it a pleasure for Andy. Since she had kissed Miranda in the office two days before she had been called into Miranda's office more times than she cared to remember and a third of the time Miranda hadn't really needed anything at all. She had only want to see her, sometimes touch her, and a few times she had needed to kiss her. Need, Miranda's description.

Andy had needed it too so she wasn't about to complain. Every time she had stepped into Miranda's office she had been hoping for a kiss. The three times Miranda had kissed her, she had left the office feeling hot all over and with an even bigger need to kiss Miranda than when she had entered Miranda's office. At one point it must have shown because Charlotte gave her quizzical look and told her she should fix her makeup.

She had received the same quizzical look when Miranda reminded her to please deliver the book that night as she left the office for the night. Andy nodded at Miranda and received a smile in return. Charlotte had continued to stare at her like she had spurted horns or turned blue. She supposed it wasn't far from the truth. She felt like a whole new creature or just whole again. God, she hadn't felt whole since god only knew when.

"What in the world has gotten into her?" Charlotte asked looking the picture of confusion.

"No idea." Andy shrugged. "But now that she's gone I guess you could go home too."

"Yes, I guess I can. I still have a couple of things to do for tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" Andy asked, now she was the one confused.

"The Miami shoot. We leave tomorrow, bright and early." We? What we?

Andy watched Charlotte shuffling papers for a while, completely unable to respond. "Wait, but, I thought I was supposed to be going to Miami with her."

Charlotte narrowed her eyes on her inquisitively. Maybe she had sounded a little too possessive, maybe a little too desperate. "Well count yourself a lucky girl then." Charlotte grabbed her coat and bag, and shut off her computer. "I'm off then, see you in a couple of days Andy."

"Right, good luck." Andy said making sure to sound sympathetic instead of envious.

She leaned back in her chair, the glow of happiness that she felt all day long was nowhere in sight. Andy felt dismal. How strange that on one of the best days she had at Runway she should feel so completely down. "It makes no sense." She said to the empty room.

Andy tried to shrug-off the cloud of gloom as she surfed the net while waiting for the book to arrive, but the more she tried not to over think it the more impossible it became to ignore the small voice in her head shouting at her. The voice saying that it made perfect sense because it had happened before. She had seen it happen before. It happened two years before, when Miranda had promoted her to first assistant and demoted Emily. Except this time she was the one being demoted.

By the time the book arrived at ten she was in a state close to panic. All she could think about was that Miranda no longer wanted her around the office. That she was going to be fired and pushed out of Miranda's life forever. How exactly she had come to that conclusion she wasn't sure because her brain had shut down at some point to stop from feeling the hurt. However it had happened, she was convinced.

It made her feel sick.

Andy swallowed down the feeling. She put on her coat grabbed her bag and the book. Then she turned towards the printer and picked up the letter she had absentmindedly typed as she waited in panic. It was her letter of resignation. She wouldn't wait for Miranda to fire her. No she would not. She sniffled to hold back the tears and dialed Roy's number. It was time to sort this out.


	17. Chapter 17

**XVII.**

When she stepped out of the car in front of Miranda's house, Andy felt dizzy. She didn't understand how everything could have crumbled around her so suddenly. She didn't understand any of it.

She let herself into Miranda's house. She didn't put the book on the table and since there was no dry cleaning to put away she walked towards the back of the house. She wasn't sure Miranda would be there but it was her best bet.

"Andrea."

She turned around to see Miranda on the stairs that led down to the first floor. Andy swallowed hard. It was so much harder to think with Miranda right in front of her. She had planned to hand over the book with her letter of resignation on top and leave as soon as she told Miranda that was her two-weeks notice. When Miranda extended her hand, however, she couldn't think of what to do or say.

Miranda seemed to notice her frozen state. "Andrea?"

Andy couldn't answer but she felt her eyes begin to fill with tears.

Miranda climbed the last few steps to the main floor and took Andy's hands in hers. "What's wrong?" There was concern in her voice but Andy couldn't hear it as the first tears fell down her cheeks. Miranda tightened her hold on her hands. "Come with me."

Andy followed her down the stairs and into Miranda's study. She let Miranda steer her onto a chaise and take the book, with the resignation letter, from her hands. She watched Miranda freeze mid-step, her gaze fixed on the letter. "What is this?" Andy cried harder. "Andrea, please tell me this isn't what I think it is."

Andy swallowed twice to get her tears under control so that she could speak. "Miranda I think its best if I…" She began meekly but Miranda interrupted her.

"If you what? If you desert me! If you flee! After everything you said." Miranda's eyes were wide and Andy thought they looked hurt. "I thought you wanted to count. I thought you wanted to be a part of my life. God, Andrea. What are you playing at?" Miranda finished in an almost whisper.

Andy hiccupped and sobbed again. "I did. I do!"

"Then what is this?" Miranda waved the letter around.

"I didn't want you to fire me." Andy tried not to choke on a sob.

"Fire you?" Miranda sounded astonish, as if the thought had never crossed her mind, but that couldn't be right. "Why would I ever do that?"

"You're taking Charlotte to Miami!" Andy shouted letting the hurt and jealousy she had tried to hide from Charlotte out for Miranda to see.

Miranda sat down next to her, sighed, and sounded absolutely relieved when she asked, "Is that all?"

"You didn't tell me." Andy accused again.

"Andrea," Miranda said softly as she took hold of Andy's face. "Why do you think I wanted you to deliver to book today? I wanted to explain."

"Explain?" Andy tried to concentrate on Miranda's words. Explain? Explain was good, wasn't it?

"I have found that when you are around, my dear Andrea, I am unable to concentrate on anything. I haven't been able to think straight in the office for two days. All I have been doing is thinking of you, thinking about your lips," she ran her thumb over Andy's lips.

"So you're not firing me?" Andy asked flabbergasted and a bit embarrassed at the scene she had made.

"No." Miranda smiled sweetly. "I was thinking about a promotion."

"Promotion?" Andy asked more confused than ever.

"Junior Editor. I think you should work with Nigel for a while. I don't want you to leave Runway but I can't have you just outside my office anymore."

"Oh." Andy smiled as Miranda tired to wipe away the remnants of her tears. "So then you..."

"I am willing to rearrange my schedule and my staff so that I can have a relationship with a very special woman." Miranda finished.

"Wow." Andy smiled brighter this time.

"My sentiments exactly." Miranda said before leaning to plant a sweet and long kiss that Andy felt all the way down to her toes.

"I'm sorry about all this." Andy said as she kissed her way around Mirada's jawline.

"Its fine, I should have told you first." She felt Miranda's finger's slip into her short hair. "Do you know how incredibly sensual you look with short hair?"

"No," Andy smiled. "But if I look half as good as you, then I must look good."

"That you do."

Andy couldn't help kissing Miranda again. And god the woman could kiss. "Miranda can I torture you now?"

"Now?" Andy nodded. "I think you better."

The words had barely left Miranda's mouth when Andy pressed her lips to Miranda's once more. She kissed her slowly, forcing herself to slow down and take her time. She tried but she was so hungry now. After the emotional upheaval, all she wanted to do was reassure herself that all was well in her world.

She pulled back, removed her heels, and let her body fall back against the cushions of the chaise. She looked at Miranda as she slowly worked the buttons on her blouse. She stopped after the third one and held her hand out. Miranda took it and Andy pulled her on top of her. "I want you." Andy saw Miranda's eyes turn dark blue. She wanted to say that she loved her but she was too scared of Miranda's reaction to actually say it. Not yet.

She parted her thighs and Miranda repositioned herself between them. Andy sighed at the feel of Miranda's weight right there. She slid her hands down Miranda's soft arms and around her waist. They fit perfectly. Andy smiled like a total goof at the thought.

Miranda arched an eyebrow in question. Andy couldn't answer it though because Miranda's hands had moved up her bare thigh and under her skirt to dance on the edge of her lace boyshort. "Oh my…fuck." Andy breathed the words as Miranda's fingers did the tango on her clothed pussy.

Andy felt her body heat rise a good three degrees and good god she really felt feverish. Miranda's fingers didn't stop their dance for a second. Andy felt liked she was coming undone. She opened her eyes when Miranda tugged on her boyshorts. Bad moved. Oh very bad move! Andy looked straight into Miranda's duke blue eyes and she almost came from just that look. And oh god, she was wetter than a rainforest. "Please." She begged still looking at Miranda's eyes. "Please."

Miranda kissed her once more before shifting between her thighs again and then those long slim fingers that she had admire like a loony for hours on end where inside of her and Andy almost passed out. She bit into her hand to suppress an, "Oh fuck!", because the twins had to be somewhere in the house. The last thing the needed was for one of the little redheads to walk in on…

"GOD." Andy's brain shut down and she is panting so hard she thinks she might begin to hyperventilate. She breathing races and shortens as Miranda fingers move in and out of her. Andy stops just short of hyperventilating. Her lungs and heart go crazy trying to match Miranda's rhythm but when they do…wow. She breathes in as Miranda pulls out and her pussy grips onto those two fingers like she never wants to be empty again. God help her, but she doesn't.

"Miranda, Miranda, Miranda…." Andy begins the mantra as she begins to pulsate around Miranda's fingers.

"Look at me." Miranda commanded and Andy obeyed. And oh god, it was too much. There was only so much Andy could take.

"Oh MY GOD." She took a sharp intake of breath because Miranda picked that moment to push her thumb hard against Andy's throbbing clit. "MIRANDA." Andy came as bit into her hand yet again, harder this time, but she was feeling no pain.

Andy wasn't able to breathe properly for a few minutes afterwards and Miranda seemed perfectly fine to wait for her to regain some composure, entertaining herself with kissing, biting, and sucking on Andy's neck. Andy was happy to let her.

"I thought I was supposed to be torturing you." She said as soon as she was able to speak.

"Mmm." Miranda shrugged. "You did. I enjoyed it as much as you did believe me."

"Really?" Andy asked. She didn't think Miranda had come. "I doubt it."

Miranda smiled and placed a kiss on her lips. "Well maybe not as much as you but damn close."

Andy laughed and god she really wanted to say those three little words now. Soon, she promised to herself and settled for, "You're incredible."

"So are you." Miranda said and settled down on Andy's chest.

Andy didn't mind since Miranda was a featherweight. She wrapped her arms around Miranda and they fell into a comfortable silence.

"Is it my turn now?" She asked a few minutes later. "To torture you." She clarified.

Miranda shook her head and snuggled deeper into Andy's arms. "Nope. Too tired."

"Oh." Andy hoped she didn't sound too disappointed. "I guess I should go then."

"No."

"No?" No what?

"No." Miranda said once more but didn't elaborate.

"You should go to bed," Andy tried again, "you have an early start tomorrow."

Miranda raised herself up to look at Andy. "I'm perfectly comfortable where I am, Andrea."

"Oh, right, I just thought." Andy babbled.

"Aren't you?" Miranda asked with a worried look instead of her usual raised eyebrow.

"Yeah." Andy answered and reassured Miranda with a smile. "Blissfully comfortable," and happy, but she didn't said that out loud.

"Good." Miranda said settling back on top of Andy. "I want you stay, Andrea."

Andy had to strain herself to hear the last part because it had been said into her chest. "Oh. Ok."

"Now go to sleep." Miranda commanded in a soft voice.

"Right." Andy answered unnecessarily.

That was apparently the end of that. Andy tighten her hold on Miranda, made a plea to god for nothing to go wrong when they woke up, and closed her eyes.


	18. Chapter 18

**XVIII.**

As it happened, Andy had no need to worry about the morning after. It was a morning after straight out of a romantic movie complete with a morning kiss and breakfast together. Miranda had insisted that she sit at the table and take her time eating before heading out. The twins had come down in the middle of breakfast causing Andy to almost jump out of her skin when she saw them but Miranda had taken it in stride. The twins exchanged curious looks but sat down for breakfast regardless.

She felt like she was sleepwalking, the experience was that surreal. She decided to leave just in case she really was sleepwalking, she didn't want to wake up.

Miranda walked her out after Andy waved at the twins and gave Caroline a wide smile.

"So, I guess I'll see you in a few days?" She said at the door.

Miranda nodded. "We should be back in four days. Though all things considered it may take an extra day."

"Five days?" Andy hoped her voice wasn't full of the disappointment she felt. She didn't want to be separated from Miranda for so long after their first night together. It just didn't sit well with her, but then work was work and Miranda had to go, she would just have to deal with it.

Apparently the disappointment did show because Miranda smiled sweetly at her. "Yes. You will probably be very busy with finding your replacement so you wouldn't even miss me."

Andy huffed, "Yeah right."

Miranda moved in before Andy could figure out what was happening. It was only the feel of soft lips against her own that pushed her to return the kiss. "I will be terrible busy, as well, but I have not doubt that I'll miss you."

"Me too." Andy asserted.

Miranda nodded. "You should go or you'll be late for work."

"Right." Andy said and walked through the door.

"Andrea," Andy stopped on the steps. "I'll call you."

Andy smiled and nodded. "I'll hold you to it."

[]

Along with Charlotte and Nigel, Miranda had taken most of the Runway staff with her to Miami. Anyone who had any input on the fashion at Runway was gone, leaving only the writers, closet staff, and department assistants. That meant that Andy was basically alone in her little section of the thirty-six floor. She was fine with it too.

She had talk to Cherry in human resources almost as soon as she had taken her jacket off. The conversation had been brief but tense. Cherry had been there a lot longer than Andy and she had been handed the task of finding new assistants for Miranda on more occasions than she probably cared to count. Andy had known that the task was a horrible one and so had volunteer to go through file of any applicant Cherry thought promising. She had meant to be nice but now she felt like kicking herself. Cherry had sent up more fifty files, all which littered her desk.

She just closed the tenth file she had reviewed; it had taken her most of the morning to do so, when her phone went off not for the first time. She picked it up and smiled, Miranda.

"Hey," she answered still smiling into the phone.

"This has got to stop."

Andy shuffled the files on her desk with a look of confusion. "What has to stop?"

"This."

Why was it that Miranda thought she could read her mind? She couldn't. Andy loved the woman but that didn't mean that she had suddenly become a telepath, not to mention that Miranda was about a thousand miles away. "Ah, Miranda you're going to have to be a little more specific."

"You have to stop answering the phone."

Andy stopped organizing her desk. What the hell? "Miranda, answering the phone when you call me is part of my job."

"As my assistant perhaps, not as my girlfriend." Miranda's tone was even, as far as Andy could tell, and she spoke at her normal level, she must be alone.

Even as she worried about whether Miranda was paying attention to her surroundings or not, Andy's smile returned to her lips if a bit goofy. Had Miranda really said the word girlfriend?

"Andrea," Oops she must have taken to long to answer because Miranda sounded annoyed.

"You'll get upset if I don't answer."

"I wouldn't."

Yeah right! Like hell she wouldn't. "Miranda…"

"No, it absolutely must not go on. This is why I have to lose the best assistant I've ever had. I'm a miles and miles away, yet I can't get anything done because I feel compelled to hear your voice every hour. It must stop, Andrea do you understand me?"

She nodded even though Miranda couldn't see her. She'd go along with it, though she'd probably be in deep with Miranda for it. The December issued was very important, and she knew that. "Yup, I understand perfectly."

"Good," Miranda sounded more relaxed.

"So does that mean I'm not allowed to answer my phone for the whole next five days."

There was a long pause. "No, I might not make it through this shoot without killing either Jocelyn or Lucia, if you don't answer the phone at all."

"Ok, so?"

"Answer after seven."

Andy made a mental note. "Ok. How are you managing?"

"Not now, Andrea, tonight. Tonight, well talk."

Andy nodded again, then shifted into assistant mode again. "Anything else, I can do for you?"

"No." Andy expected Miranda to hang-up, but after a moment Miranda spoke again. "Andrea, make sure none of my calls go to voicemail after seven."

It could have been one of Miranda's usual threats but there was no sharpness in the words if anything it sounded like a plea.


	19. Chapter 19

**XIX.**

By four in afternoon Wednesday Andy had something like twenty missed calls, and that was just for that day. She had finally finished going through the files Cherry had sent over and picked out the few, as in three, applicants she thought could survive Miranda. She would start interviewing them the next morning. She was about to go to the art department to give them Miranda's latest instructions, which she got via Charlotte, when her phone rang. She picked it up and looked at the screen, Miranda. She sighed in exasperation. She hit the ignore button and headed out of the office.

Andy didn't know how the hell Miranda was able to run a photo shoot and find the time to call her twice an hour. She knew the woman was very skilled in multitasking but this would strain even Miranda's skills. She had just walked into the art department when her phone rang again. She ignored it again.

"Hey Sam."

Samantha looked up from the layout she was working on and smiled at Andy, "Hey."

"Miranda wants…"

Samantha groaned, "Oh God not again."

Andy looked at her sympathetically. Miranda had changed the colors for the Miami layout so many times it made her head spin to just think about it. "Don't shoot the messenger."

Samantha cracked her knuckles, "Ok, what did she say now?"

"She wants you to change to layout's color to match the Miami sunset."

"Is that different from any other sunset?"

"No clue, I've never seen a Miami sunset." Andy's phone vibrated as she watched Sam bang her head on her desk. "I have to go now, good luck."

She looked at the text, it was from Miranda, Pick of the phone or I'm firing Charlotte immediately. Shit. Shit. Shit. Andy didn't wait for Miranda to call her again. She didn't even stop to dialed. She did it as she walked back to Miranda's office.

"It's about time."

"I'm sorry, I was just following your orders."

"I need you here now, Andrea."

Andy sighed. They had this conversation the night before. "Miranda…"

"I'm surrounded by idiots."

It must be pretty bad if Miranda was calling them idiots usually she only said they were incompetent. 'Idiots' was too uncouth for Miranda's taste, normally. "What do you need me to do?"

"I need you to get on a plane."

"I'm not going to do that." Andy bit her lip lightly. Saying no to Miranda was a dangerous thing to do. "If I go there'll be no one to take care of things here."

"I'll send Charlotte back."

Andy sat down behind her desk, "Miranda…we'll talk in a couple of hours."

"I wouldn't count on it." Andy could tell Miranda was pissed, hell an idiot would have known, but before she could try to fix anything Miranda hung-up.

"God," Andy mumbled before getting back to work. She didn't know if she really wanted to be there when Miranda stepped off the airplane on Saturday.

[]

Andy wasn't surprised when Miranda didn't call Wednesday night or when her phone didn't ring at all while she was at the office the next day, that didn't mean she wasn't disappointed. She expected not to hear from Miranda at all until she got back, Miranda was an expert at keeping a grudge and even better at revenge. She was very surprised, therefore, when her phone went off at around nine. She had just changed in comfortable clothes and was about to order dinner.

"Hey," she said making sure to sound as sweet as pie.

"Andrea, did you know my hotel can arranged for a romantic dinner by the ocean. They set everything up no farther than four feet from the water."

Andy was as surprised by Miranda's words as she was by her tone. There was no sign that she had ever been upset with her. "No, I didn't."

"I'll have to bring you soon, it's very beautiful here." Andy smiled as much at Miranda's tone as at the promise for future plans.

"I'd love that."

Miranda didn't comment, instead she moved the conversation to a totally different topic. "Are you attached to your apartment, Andrea?"

Andy frowned at her tv, "Mmm, I guess so."

"Don't guess Andrea."

"What's this about?"

She heard Miranda sigh. "I had a very interesting conversation with Caroline last night."

"What about?"

"You."

"Me?" Andy asked surprised.

"Caroline asked me point-blank if you were my girlfriend."

Andy laughed nervously. "What did you say?"

"I told her the truth, she seemed pleased with my answer."

When she laughed again it was in relief, "I'm glad to hear that."

"I've felt off balance this past few days. I've felt off balance every day save one since we left New Hampshire. I'm sure you know why?"

Andy did know. She had felt off balance too, except for the night she had spelt in Miranda's arms. "Yes."

"I have no intention of feeling this way indefinitely especially not now."

"Ok," Andy said a bit confused again.

"I want you to move in with me." Wow. "Andrea?"

"Right, sorry. Do you think it's a good idea with the divorce and all?"

Miranda sounded frustrated, "No it's not a good idea, which is why I'll have to wait until after the divorce is final."

"Any idea when that will be?" Andy said relaxing a bit. She liked the idea of living with Miranda but she was happy to have some time to get used to it.

"According to my lawyer sometime before Christmas." Andy's heart sped up again. Christmas was two months away. Two months. "Andrea?"

"Yeah?"

"Would you like to live with me and the girls?"

Andy didn't have to think for more than a minute. "Absolutely." Two months was enough time, and taking things slow was overrated anyway.

[]

Andy got a call early the next morning. She didn't recognize the number. "Hello?"

"Is it true you're moving in with us?"

What the hell? "Caroline?"

"Yup, Cassidy is here too but she doesn't want to talk to you."

"Ok," Andy said somewhat perplexed.

"Don't worry Andy she's excited too, she's just too stubborn to say anything."

_Caroline!_ Andy heard Cassidy's voice somewhere in the background, _I'm never telling you anything else_. "Did you hear that?"

"Yes, but she doesn't sound that pleased with you telling me."

"That's Cassidy for you. She takes forever to warm up to people, and even longer to let them know it. Remind you of anyone we know?"

Andy had to laugh at that, "Oh yeah."

"Thought it would. So is it true?"

Andy could almost feel Caroline's excitement. "Yeah, it's true."

"She said it's true." Caroline's voice seemed a little farther away than before and Andy guessed she wasn't talking to her. She knew she was right when she heard a muffled, _yes!_ Then Caroline's voice came back, "We're both really happy about it."

"I'm really happy about it too, especially now that I know you guys are happy."

"I have to go now, Roy's dropping us off at school."

"Ok, you guys be good."

Caroline laughed, "Always."

"Right," she said laughing along with the twin.

"Bye, Andy."

"Bye, kiddo." Andy hung up, and smiled as she closed the door to her apartment behind her. There was still a lot to do before Miranda got back.

* * *

_AN: Hey everyone I'm just dropping a note to let you know that there is only one more chapter to this story. I also wanted to thank everyone that's follow this story and specially those that have left review, I really appreciate them. _

_xox, xio_


	20. Chapter 20

**XX.**

Andy had been right, there was too much to do before Miranda got off the plane the next morning. The day turned out to be incredibly busy. She had thankfully found a new assistant for Miranda. Charlotte would become first assistant, Miranda probably hadn't told her yet but she'd probably be very excited about it. The new girl, Katherine, would be second assistant. Andy was going to ask Miranda to stay at her post for another three or four days so that Charlotte could train Katherine properly. She'd have to convince Miranda, but she knew it was the only way Katherine and Charlotte would be able to survive the transition.

She had Katherine report to the office around ten so she could have a nice calm day to get accustom to her new job. It was a good thing too because Katherine hadn't been there for more than an hour when she was called away to the top floor. Irv Ravitz, wanted to see her. Great.

She took Katherine with her to the top floor. The phones were quiet, and if Miranda wanted something Charlotte would call her to her cell. When they stepped off the elevator Margaret, Irv's executive secretary, was waiting for them. She walked them into the chairman's office and followed them in.

"Hello, Andy." Irv had never forgotten her. It would have been difficult considering what happened during her first Paris fashion week.

Andy couldn't be sure if he hated her or not, but he certainly had a way of making her name sound insulting. "Mr. Ravitz, what can I do for you?"

He motioned for them to sit down. "Who's this?" He asked looking at Katherine.

"Katherine Johnson, sir."

"Katherine is Miranda new second assistant."

Irv gave a small nod of disinterest then turned back to Andy. "I need your help Andy. As you know tomorrow is Miranda's birthday." Andy nodded. "This year I was picked by the board to organize the gala."

"Oh," Andy didn't know what she should say. She knew there'd be a gala for Miranda's birthday, there was one every year. It was why Miranda had to be back the next day. What surprised her was that the board would pick Irv of all people to host the party. Irv and Miranda's relationship had never really recovered after Paris.

"I assigned Margaret to organize everything. However, I need this gala to go off without a hitch. I also need Miranda to absolutely love it. For that I need you." Andy nodded again. "Margaret will show you what has been done so far. Correct anything and everything you think needs to be corrected."

"I'll do what I can, Mr. Ravitz." She stood, and followed Margaret and Katherine to the door.

"Andy," Irv called her back.

"Yes, Mr. Ravitz?"

He looked nervous and uncomfortable for a second. "I need to burry the hatched with Miranda. I need to have a more comfortable relationship with her."

"I'll do what I can."

"Thank you."

She had genuinely meant it and she thought Irv had meant it too when he thanked her. When they got back to the Runway offices, Andy had shown Katherine once more how to answer the phones and then she had sent her out to get Miranda's usual order from Starbucks. The girl needed the practice.

After Katherine had left she had sat down with Margaret and a binder full of party details. She sighed almost as soon as Margaret opened the thing. "You guys should have called me in days ago."

Margaret nodded, "I asked him too, but he seemed reluctant until today."

"I don't know how much good I can be with thirty hours to go." She noticed the pleading look on Margaret's face, and smiled at her. "I'll try my best though."

In the end it took them most of the daylight hours to finish going through all the arrangements, but when they did Andy had to smile. "That's that."

She watched Margaret stretch. "Thanks, Andrea."

"Don't worry about it. The less friction between our bosses they better off we'll be."

Margaret laughed, "Oh yeah."

"Ok, I'm going home. I have a lot to do." Andy told Margaret as she stood and grabbed her things.

[]

Andy had asked Roy to pick her up two hours before they needed to be at the airport to pick Miranda up. She woke up extra early and was in front of her building before Roy had pulled up. She got in to the car and told Roy where to take her.

Half an hour later she was opening the door to Miranda's town house. "Andy," Cara sounded surprised when she opened the door. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, I have to do a few thing for Miranda before she arrives."

Caroline came charging out of the living room. "Oh, wow, what's with all the flowers?"

"It's you're mom's birthday."

A cheeky smile spread over Caroline's lips. "Right."

"Right," Andy said nervously, "I need to take all of these up to your mom's bedroom."

"Ok, I'll help."

As they walked up the stairs and away from Cara, Andy could feel Caroline's eyes on her. "What?"

"You have a bunch of flowers."

"I know that."

"What are you going to do?"

"It's a surprise."

Caroline laughed, "You are too cute."

"Hey!" Andy would have swatted Caroline's arm if her arms weren't full of flowers.

"What? You are." Caroline said as they walked into Miranda's bedroom.

Andy smiled at her and set about arranging the flowers around Miranda's room. An hour later she looked around the room exhausted. "It looks good right?"

Caroline and Cassidy, who had joined then fifteen minutes before, nodded. "It looks awesome." Caroline provided.

"Ok, just one more thing to do." Andy turned to the closest nightstand where she had sat down the most expensive, and biggest, bouquet of Stargazer lilies and white and pink callas. She pulled a small silk ribbon and tied it around the neck of vase. Andy stepped back and looked at it. The solid platinum band ring that hanged from the ribbon had almost driven her bank account into the ground, but Miranda's birthday was their first celebration as a couple and she wanted it to be memorable.

"That's really pretty."

Andy turned to Caroline, "You really think so?"

Caroline nodded, "Its simple and beautiful."

"I hope she likes it." Andy said before looking at her watch. "I have to go. See you guys later."

[]

Andy and Roy had arrived at JFK with only a few minutes to spare, but still on time. The extra minutes gave her an extra moment to panic. It was on thing to be Miranda's girlfriend when the woman wasn't around, but that was about to end and Andy wasn't sure what it was going to be like with Miranda in close proximity.

She spotted Miranda the instant the woman stepped through the customs door. She had to force herself to stay still and wait for Miranda as she had been told instead of running to her like a crazed lunatic. It took all her will power to stay put.

Thankfully Miranda walked at her usual brisk pace and was in front of her in two minutes.

"Let's go," Miranda said walking past her.

Andy frowned and stared at Miranda's retreating form. What the hell was that? No hello, no nothing. She sighed and followed Miranda out of the terminal and into the car.

They were silent as Roy pulled away from the curb and into the general airport traffic. Andy hadn't been that nervous around Miranda in years, and she was about to start biting her nails when she felt Miranda's gaze on her. She turned to glance at her and looked straight into the clear blue eyes she had missed so much.

"I'm glad that's over." Miranda's voice was as normal as ever, but the smile on her lips spoke of things she wouldn't say in front of Roy like I missed you. It warmed Andy all over.

Miranda didn't say anything to her again until they stepped out of the car at the townhouse. With a cool, "Andrea take my things upstairs," Miranda disappeared into the house.

Andy nodded to no one and set to her task. Roy had to help her with one of the heavier bags but all an all it was one of the easiest task Miranda had given her. She had just put the last piece of luggage inside Miranda's bedroom when she heard the door close behind her.

"Andrea."

Oh good God! Andy insides melted at the tone. She felt heart swell to an uncomfortable size in her chest as Miranda eyes locked on hers and she began to stride towards her. Miranda hands touched her skin before Andy's brain could register that she had closed the distance between them. The warmth she had felt in the car came back ten fold. She was sure she'd pass out at any moment.

"Do you know how hard it's been to concentrate on anything at all? Can you imagine how often I've thought about being here with you…" Just like that Miranda's lips were on hers.

Andy's eyes closed on contact, and she was sure she'd died and gone to heaven. She moaned softly against Miranda's sweet lips and got a groan in response. She was getting hotter by the second and this was so not the time. Andy pulled away from Miranda and took a couple steps back.

"I should go." She said breathlessly. "You need to rest and get ready for you're birthday gala, so I should go."

Miranda looked around the room for the first time. She took everything in then looked back at Andy, "Thank you."

Andy knew that blushing was completely ridiculous considering how heated their kiss had gotten just moments before but she couldn't help it. "You're welcome."

Miranda began to move towards her again, so Andy moved towards the door. "Ok, I'll see tonight," she made a hasty exit from the bedroom and had to stop to get her bearings at the stairs.

Later. They would have time later.

[]

The birthday gala went off without a hitch, and Andy had never felt more proud. Of all the things she had ever done at Runway for Miranda this might be the most special, the most personal, and she pulled off.

Yeah, she would have been on cloud nine had it not been for the fact that she was working. Well… that wasn't completely true. She wasn't really on duty but she was still supervising Katherine while Charlotte did the actual working. She was trying to help the girl be as prepared as she could possible be for Monday. That meant, of course, that she hadn't had a moment to even look at Miranda let alone actually get close enough to tell her how absolutely exquisite she looked.

Her eyes sought out the woman in question almost automatically, and she had to suppress a sigh at the sight of her. Andy knew how lucky she was, how could she not?

Miranda was a great catch. She was funny, kind, and unbelievable loving to those she cared about, and she happened to be one of those lucky few Miranda really cared about. She still couldn't believe it, but it seemed to be true. Not to mention that her Christmas present would be the happily-ever-after every girl dream of. Oh yeah, she was definitely lucky.

Blue eyes looked straight at her, and held on. Andy felt heat rush up to the surface of her skin and prayed for it not to show. She was pretty sure it did show if the way Miranda's eyes sparkled was anything to go by.

Andy took out her phone and looked at the time, just another half hour to go. Then she and Miranda would have their own little birthday party.

When she looked back up Miranda was in front of her. "Are you alright, Andrea?"

Andy shook her head and smiled at her. "Eye sex is not allowed," she whispered close to Miranda's ear.

"Not allowed?" Miranda had that predatory look that always forced Andy to bite her cheek to keep from telling Miranda just how damn hot it was.

"Not allowed." She repeated looking away from Miranda.

"You should call the car then."

Andy looked up quickly, a question written all over her face.

"If eye sex isn't allowed, real sex must be out of the question until we get home," Andy gulped, "therefore, you should call the car."

Andy stood there, her heart beating hard and fast against her ribcage. She couldn't move or talk. She couldn't function when Miranda was acting that…that…center of the sun hot. Oh God.

"Do. It. Now."

By the time Andy registered the words Miranda was already half to the exit. Shit! She grabbed her phone and dialed.

They made it to the townhouse in record time, and Andy wasn't sure if Miranda had said something to Roy before she got in the car or if he could tell something was going on just from the tension in the air and the hungry looks on their face. Well her face anyway, she hadn't dared to look at Miranda.

Despite explosive tension they made it inside the townhouse without incident.

As soon as Andy closed the door behind them Miranda rounded on her. Andy had been right just the look on her face was enough to make her moan, good thing she hadn't looked at her in the car.

Andy stood her ground, though, cause she wasn't going to be back up against the door. No sir. No way. There was a perfectly good bedroom filled with flowers waiting for them.

Miranda, however, seem to had different ideas because by the time Andy's thoughts had turned to all the flowers she had put in Miranda's room her back had already hit the door.

Her moan was very loud and Miranda's answering groan was even louder. God, they were going to wake up half the neighborhood and they weren't even naked yet.

Miranda pulled away from her mouth fast, and began to lick her way from Andy's shoulder to her ear. Andy trembled. "We left early." She couldn't think of anything else to say.

"Yes," Miranda stop just long enough to answer before sucking Andy's earlobe into her mouth.

"Irv…" Damn it, she couldn't think. How could she be expected to think with Miranda being… so Miranda? She overwhelmed her senses and sent her brain on vacation.

"Irv can think what he likes."

Miranda's teeth bit softly into her flesh and Andy almost lost it right there. "Miranda…"

"It's my birthday isn't it?"

It took her almost a minute to actually nod.

"That means I get to do whatever I want, right?"

Another nod, quicker this time.

"I want to do you."

Andy gulped, and Miranda smiled that devilish smiled that made her stomach do back flips and front flips, and every other type of flip she knew of.

Miranda was already at the stairs when she looked up. "Coming?"

Andy gulped again. Not yet, she thought as she pushed off the door, but soon enough.

Soon enough Miranda's divorce would be final and she would be able to sleep and wake next to her every day. Soon enough this would be her home, their home.

Andy smiled and rushed to Miranda's side. She took hold of her hand and led the way up the stairs towards the bedroom.

Soon enough couldn't come fast enough for her.

FIN.


End file.
